


A Wish of Astronomical Proportions

by GabzJones



Series: The Starboy Chronicles [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Boyfriend jackets, Drunk Katsuki Yuuri, Eventual Smut, Fantasy, Fluff, Happy Ending, Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Matchmaking, Pining, Romance, Sickness, Star Katsuki Yuuri, Stars, Wishes, figure skating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2019-10-25 16:12:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 49,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17728511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GabzJones/pseuds/GabzJones
Summary: He had a great life. Fame followed him everywhere. Everyone knew his name. Victor Nikiforov, champion of figure skating. With routines filled with talent and emotion, Victor had quickly become unbeatable in his sport. But the melancholy clinging to his routines, the chains weighing him down had finally become too much, and in a moment of weakness, Victor Nikiforov looked to the stars and made a wish.The wish brought him confusion and clarity, pain and happiness. The wish brought him Yuuri, a curious star determined to make Victor’s deepest desire come true, no matter how troublesome and utterly embarrassing his methods may be.





	1. Cancer

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh it's finally time that I get to start posting this monster of a fic! This story is written for the Victuuri Fluff Bang, the first bang I've ever been part of and it's been such a wild ride, I'm just so excited to finally be able to share it with you. Chapters are already finished and will be uploaded regularly, and I will be sure to link you guys to the beautiful art that was made for this fic once the chapter for it comes. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this as much as I have!

The blades moved gently along the ice as Victor settled himself in his starting position. Glancing up, he saw Mila already in her place at the other end of the rink. She was seated with her legs elegantly crossed. Her little black dress was complete with ruby embellishments to match her vibrant hair, left sleeve made of fishnet. She looked stunning. In comparison, Victor’s outfit was demure; dark trousers, a black shirt, and a burgundy suit jacket. He’d allowed himself the luxury of a few embellishments on the jacket, but Mila was supposed to be the important figure in this piece. He wanted the spotlight trained on her.

Victor shot a smile in Mila’s direction, receiving one in turn. It wasn’t the first time they’d performed this programme, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. There was still so much of the skating season ahead of them, and Victor found himself being invited to skate in every exhibition. It was almost an expectation at this point. He didn’t mind, though. Victor enjoyed this program. Though he was normally a singles skater, it was a chance for Mila to show off her skill. There was no fear of scores weighing him down, but he did still have the desire to do his best for her sake. The program was relatively simple. It meant Victor could focus on the emotions behind his every movement.

As the music trickled into the room like raindrops, Victor allowed his skates to drag him slowly along the ice, a little kick to each stride, moving in a gentle winding pattern. The music had been ingrained in Victor’s body by now. He knew every second of this, gently spinning himself to a halt at the center of the ice, turning to the audience and pressing a finger to his lips. And then the music began to pick up, vocals becoming part of the piece, and Victor let his blades slice through the ice in semicircles, dragging his body left, then right as he slowly made his way towards Mila. All the while, he allowed himself small flourishes to the programme; a spin here, a sudden stop for emphasis there.

Victor carefully undid his jacket as he moved towards Mila, allowing it to open and reveal the dark fabric of his shirt beneath. Halfway to Mila’s side, and he was stopping once more, turning back to the crowd and taking the rose from his lapel, his free hand brushing seductively over his stomach as the music shifted with the vocals. A sliver of skin above his waistband came into view before he was turning back towards Mila, more purpose in his steps as he finally reached her side.

The reason Victor loved this program so much was the story it told; the story of a man in a desperate search for love, a man certain he’d found it in the mysterious girl seated in a chair on the ice, a mysterious woman watching his every move. Victor got on one knee as he reached Mila, holding out the rose in offering. An offering of his love, his affection, his heart. Mila smirked as she took the rose, tossing it aside and lifting a leg to rest on Victor’s knee. He reached out to press a kiss to the offered skate before Mila was taking her leg away, fingers moving under his chin to pull him upright as she got to her feet.

Victor allowed himself to be pushed back, every dramatic step in time with the music. And then Mila’s hand was in his, and Victor was spinning her effortlessly, the scarlet rhinestones on her dress sparkling under the lights, and suddenly she was standing in front of him, his arms wrapping around her from behind. 

This programme was the tale of a man who loved too deeply, a man desperate to find  _ the one _ and so willing to find it in anyone that he’d let himself be whatever this woman wanted. He’d let himself go through all the pain of heartbreak for the tantalising promise of happily ever after. Just as quickly as his arms were around her, she was pushing them away, and a moment later, Victor was laying on the ice, unable to do anything but watch as Mila carefully skated over him, her blades on either side of his body.

He’d let anyone walk all over him for the chance to find happiness.

As she turned back to him, Victor got back to his feet, skating forward and Mila was spinning around him, her fingers brushing over his shoulders. But just as quickly she was gone, skating away and leaving the rest of the programme to Victor. After all, this wasn’t a story with a happy ending. She tossed his heart aside right from the start. The mysterious woman was never meant to stay in his life, nothing more than a fleeting moment, a chance encounter.

The music reached its peak and Victor quickly moved into a sequence of steps, never moving from his place at the centre of the ice. His fingers glided down his stomach and along his legs, using the movement to kneel on the cold surface. His body rested against the cold ground for barely a moment before he was back on his knees, the music burning through him as he moved, back on his feet, gliding himself along the ice with ease even as he tugged off the suit jacket.

As he tossed the fabric aside, Victor moved into a step sequence, one he’d spent so much time learning with every intention of letting his emotions play their part as he danced along the ice. It was a tale of sorrow, of heartache. It was a man’s desire to be something more, something special. The desire to have someone to call his own. Victor knew that feeling so intimately.  The programme felt personal. 

Victor landed a perfect quadruple flip, moving back into the step sequence with ease. He allowed himself flourishes, his arms moving to the music as he’d grown accustomed, gently touching a hand to the ice as his stance changed to a spread eagle. And just as quickly, he was back to the step sequences, dancing a tale of chaotic sadness, of desperation and need, and then Victor was dropping himself to the ice, his body sliding along the surface on his side. All the emotions built up throughout the performance created the dramatic moment, specks of ice sticking to his clothes, but Victor felt euphoric. He always did when that programme came to an end, allowing him to let out the pent-up emotions.

Victor closed his eyes, granting himself a moment of indulgence as he listened to the sound of applause.

* * *

 

It wasn’t that Victor didn’t like the banquets that came at the end of figure skating competitions. It was just that they always felt the same. Standing at the edge of the room with a champagne flute in hand, Victor was displaying his charming smile, the one the press always got to see, the one that didn’t require much effort to maintain. He’d thank everyone who came over with congratulations for yet another win, compliment their own programmes. Victor tried to be as witty as possible, but Yakov had told him a long time ago not to be witty with people he wasn’t close to. Apparently, Victor’s sense of humour was an acquired taste, and he didn’t need to cause trouble for his coach. So instead, Victor kept to himself, made small talk when necessary, and left early.

The room was filled with people Victor recognised, but there were few he could really call friends. So many fellow competitors made up the majority of the scene, all dressed up for a quiet, formal evening, a celebration of their achievements as athletes. In that respect, Victor wondered sometimes why they all rushed to congratulate him. They all deserved just as much praise. They all worked just as hard as he did. The fact that only one skater could win the gold for each division didn’t devalue their achievements. He did enjoy it at first; hearing the praise, knowing he’d done well. But after so many times, it started to lose its meaning. What was another gold medal among all the others? What else did he actually have to say for himself? His whole life had been competing, and he had achieved so much from it, but that was all he had. No other part of his life had any meaning. Just this, only ever this. It was a sobering thought.

Victor ended up in the same place he always did at these parties; sitting at one of the empty tables, nursing his fourth drink of the night. Or was it the fifth? He’d lost track somewhere along the way. With his fingers brushing delicately against the rim of the glass, Victor rested his elbow against the table, cheek pressed into the palm of his hand as he watched the rest of the people moving around the room. His head tilted into his hand as he did, silver hair like a waterfall shielding blue eyes from view.

The room was filled with the gentle sound of conversation, music playing softly in the background, setting a mood of refinement and dignity. Ironic, really. Victor knew most of the skaters in that room didn’t really care for such things. Sometimes he wondered if these banquets were set up purely as a front for publicity. What did the world really think of skaters? Apparently that they were wealthy and trained to function in high society.

Victor had seen Georgi drunk out of his mind, spouting poetry about a pretty maiden who had run away with his heart. There may have been something about her using it to curse him; he’d succumbed to an eternity of loveless existence. After the third verse, it stopped making sense, the alcohol officially settling into his system, but Victor had noted that should Georgi ever give up skating, he’d have a promising career as a bard. Were bards real? Victor wasn’t sure, but he knew the job would call to the romantic in Georgi. Mila had a mischievous streak. She was known as a prankster among the other skaters. Certainly one to watch out for. Then there was Chris. Oh, where to start with Chris…

Needless to say, skaters were definitely not the classiest bunch, but at least they knew how to have a good time.

Across the room, Victor saw Michele, an Italian skater, dancing with Mila, though his interest seemed to be on his sister, Sara, who was being guided through a waltz by Phichit. Victor didn’t know much about him, but he’d never seen Phichit without a smile on his face. He was always so cheerful, and as he moved around the room with Sara on his arm he was no different than usual. They could only hope Michele wouldn’t end the night as a fugitive, the way Phichit’s hand rested on his sister’s waist no doubt driving him crazy. Mila had a tight hold of him, maintaining a general distance to allow Sara the opportunity to dance with someone she wasn’t related to by blood.

“Pray tell, why are you sitting here all alone, mon amie?” Victor didn’t have to look up to know it was Chris who had sat down beside him. The voice would’ve been enough of a tell, but he was usually the only one willing to come and talk to Victor when he was sat by himself like that. While the others all seemed to believe it meant he wanted to be alone, Chris had never been one for such sentiments.

“Just watching the festivities,” Victor shrugged, lifting his head from his hand and taking a sip of his drink. “Do we have a pool going for how long it’ll take Michele to crack?”

“You want in?” Chris smirked, leaning passed Victor to get a glimpse of the boy struggling to maintain his composure as his sister was delicately moved into a dip, her laughter filling the room and blending with the gentle music. “Place your bets.”

“He doesn’t look like he’s going to last more than five minutes.” Victor shrugged, pulling out his wallet and dropping a two thousand ruble banknote into Chris’ open hand. “Four minutes.”

“Very specific,” Chris noted, pocketing the money.

“Always am.” Victor watched as Mila laughed, using Michele’s pulling away as an excuse for a spin and quickly tugging him closer. She had her hands full, but so did he.

“So,” Chris spoke up after silence fell between them, tilting his head to get a better glimpse of Victor’s face, “you wanna tell me why you’re looking so down? The champion should be the happiest person in the room.”

“I’m happy. I worked hard for that medal.” Victor shrugged. It was true, he’d used every spare moment training, trying to perfect his programmes, to make sure he could do those jumps with ease. Victor wanted those programmes to be as effortless as breathing. Only then could he focus entirely on the emotions behind them, could truly allow them to shine. He still had a long way to go if he wanted them to be what they deserved to be, but it was a start, and winning gold was encouraging. It was a sign that he was heading in the right direction.

“That’s what your words say, but not your eyes.” Chris frowned, reaching out and gently poking Victor’s cheek. “What’s going on in your head?”

“I’m…” Victor sighed softly, staring down at the table. What was wrong? What had him feeling so low all the time? There were a lot of things, but he couldn’t put his finger on exactly what the biggest problem was. 

His life completely revolved around skating, and he loved it. Skating gave him an outlet he’d never normally have, one he didn’t want to give up for anything. But it meant sacrificing so much of his time. Victor didn’t have time for anything else. All he did was skate. He didn’t meet people outside of the skaters in that room. Life had no meaning beyond the ice. Victor wanted something to come home to, something other than a fluffy poodle. “I’m lost. There’s something missing, but I don’t know what it is.”

“Maybe it’s time you figure it out. Watching you walk around with that sour look on your face is getting old, and as your best friend, I won’t stand for it.” Chris’ arm looped around Victor’s shoulders as he leaned closer, “If anyone deserves a bit of happiness, it’s you.”

“Thanks,” Victor smiled, a real, genuine smile, “I’ll be fine, I guess everything’s become such a routine that it’s gotten bo—”

“Mickey!” Looking back to the dancefloor, Victor had to bite his lip to stop from laughing. Mickey had finally managed to get away from Mila, grabbing his sister around the waist and hoisting her over his shoulder as he dragged her away from Phichit. Phichit didn’t look phased with his phone out, taking photos of the siblings.

“No more! He’s had his hands on you for too long!”

“It was just a dance! Put me down!”

Sara’s shouts of protest drowned out the music, causing a scene in the centre of the room, but no one dared get between Michele and his sister. All they could do was watch in shock as he dragged her off the dance floor. Mila giggled into her hand before grabbing Phichit and starting a new dance.

“How long was that?” Victor asked curiously.

Chris had already pulled out his phone, checking the time, “Six minutes. I guess you can’t win everything. Better luck next time.”

Victor raised an eyebrow. “Who won?”

Pointing across the room, Otabek Altin already seemed to know exactly what they were talking about, sending a thumbs up in their direction. “It’s always the quiet ones.”

Victor rolled his eyes with a fond smile before downing the last of his drink, “I think I’m gonna get some fresh air.”

“Just take care of yourself, okay?” Chris left a gentle pat against Victor’s back as he got to his feet and headed towards Otabek to give him his winnings.

The room may have been quiet, but Victor was more than happy to get some space, heading out of the room and towards the cool night air. It was nearly silent outside in comparison to the banquet hall. Victor gently loosened the tie around his neck, leaning against a nearby wall and looking up at the twinkling stars.

Everything felt the same as it always did, but somehow, Victor was more desperate than ever to change it. Chris’ question played through his mind.  _ What was wrong? What was he missing? _ It always turned back to the desire to have something more in his life, something more than skating to care about. But it was difficult to actually care about anything that wasn’t the ice. The only reason he had so many gold medals was because he had dedicated his life to his sport. To give that up for a chance of something new… was that worth it?

It wasn’t that he wanted a new job. Not at all.  Victor loved what he did. There weren’t many people who could say that about their work. It didn’t feel like a job at all. It felt like an outlet. Victor knew that wasn’t something he wanted to change in his life, but something was wrong.

It was an intense desire for more, a desire to come home and have more than just a dog waiting for him, to know that he mattered. As it was, he’d only have a bunch of medals left behind if he ever disappeared. People would get over it, they’d stop caring. Victor wanted to mean something to someone, to be special for who he was.

That’s what it was. Victor didn’t just want something new in his life. He wanted  _ someone _ . Someone special he could share his life with, someone he could fall asleep next to and shower with all the affection they deserved. Victor wanted to be able to come home and pull them into his arms, to tell them he missed them.

Victor wanted love.

As that thought dawned on him, it felt so obvious but so, so hopeless. Victor didn’t have time for romance. He didn’t have time to meet people beyond skating. This was his life, and romance wasn’t ever supposed to be part of it. But god, he wanted it. He wanted more than anything to be able to tell someone he loved them and mean it with every fibre of his being.

Staring up at the stars, feeling the desperation beginning to sink in, soaking deep down to his bones, Victor focused on one sparkling light in particular, sighing softly. He didn’t know what he was doing, only that he didn’t want to be lost anymore. “I wish I could find someone to love.”

Hearing the words fall from his lips like a prayer, Victor shook his head, pushing himself away from the wall and heading back to the warmth of the banquet hall. He was being ridiculous. No matter how much he wanted it, no matter how strong the desire, there was one thing Victor was certain of.

Wishes on stars didn’t come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for all the support. My AO3 account recently reached its first year! It's super awesome that I can create these little worlds and you guys want to take the time to read them, so thank you again.


	2. Libra

Victor felt warm. The safety of his bed was so wonderful, so completely perfect, he had no intention of getting up. That was, until Makkachin decided to make it her job to rouse him.

Victor Nikiforov didn’t have an alarm. He had an affectionate poodle who wanted breakfast. As it turned out, that worked just as well.

He frowned, flinching away as Makkachin’s warm tongue licked his cheek. She sat on her owner’s lap, tail thumping rapidly back and forth. It was breakfast time. It was food time. Makkachin wasn’t going anywhere until Victor gave her some attention.

Victor groaned softly, turning onto his back and reaching out for his beloved poodle, his fingers tangling in her wiry fur. He loved her, but mornings were definitely not the most fun time of the day. He wanted to stay in the warm cocoon he’d created for himself out of the blankets. Turning his head, he watched as the sunlight bled through the curtains. It was still early. At least, he hoped it was. Yakov would have his head if he had slept in. But Makkachin had never allowed Victor to sleep in before, and he doubted she’d suddenly be making exceptions for him now.

Makkachin settled herself on Victor, her head resting on his chest as she looked up at him expectantly.  That look that said one thing: ‘Where’s breakfast, dad?’

Victor smiled fondly, running a finger along the bridge of her nose, a gentle touch that always seemed to soothe her. “I can’t feed you if you’re lying on me, Makka.”

It was an eternal struggle for Makkachin. She wanted to be close to Victor, to make sure he knew that it was food time, and she needed to eat, but she had to allow him the space to make it happen. Makkachin had never mastered it. Surely, he needed her to be on his lap, staring at him with love in her eyes if she wanted him to know she was hungry, right?

Victor laughed as Makkachin shifted herself further up his body, a soft lick left against his chin. “I’ll feed you, just let me up!”

It seemed to be enough to satisfy the pooch. She dropped down from the bed, tail wagging at the speed of light with the excitement that only came from meal times. Victor sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly. How much had he actually slept? He wasn’t sure. Victor’s mind was always occupied with routines, thinking about ways to improve them. The moments when his mind was clear were usually the times when his mind would drift back to the ice.

Sighing softly, Victor got to his feet, lifting his arms over his head and stretching his lithe body like a cat, humming happily at the movement of his muscles. He slowly padded his way through the apartment, Makkachin like a shadow, following his every move. He’d gotten used to her following him around the apartment. In fact, it had become a comforting feeling to have someone there with him, someone always at his side. It really was hell having to leave her behind for competitions.

Opening a cupboard, he pulled out a box of dried dog food, pouring it into Makkachin’s empty bowl and watching as the dog rushed to eat as much as she could get. It never ceased to surprise him. She ate with such reverence, it was as though she’d been starved for weeks, yet, she got all the food and treats she could ever ask for. Makkachin was the most spoiled dog in all of Russia. And that was a fact Victor was proud of. After all, his girl deserved to be pampered.

While Makkachin ate, Victor went through his usual morning routine. He did the same thing every day: he got dressed, had breakfast, checked his phone for any changes in the world. There were never changes. Things were always the same. It had been nearly a week since the banquet, and the papers had finally started to calm down about the results. Victor was looking forward to not having to see his own face when he opened up news sites.

Victor grabbed his duffel bag, the one he always used for training, and turned to Makkachin. “Coming?”

It was pointless to even ask. Of course, she was coming. There was no way in the world Makkachin would let Victor go to training without her. And there was no way in the world he’d leave the house without her by his side, either. 

It had been troublesome to convince Yakov to let Makkachin come to the rink for training. He’d been insistent that it was no place for pets, but soon caved when he realised Victor seemed to have some very real concentration issues if he left his beloved Makkachin alone for the day. Yakov didn’t understand. That was what Victor had decided. Makkachin would be lonely. She’d feel neglected. He couldn’t stand the thought of her having to be all by herself.

Okay, so maybe Victor showered his dog with all his affection because he didn’t have anyone else to share it with. That wasn’t necessarily a problem. Makkachin certainly didn’t seem to complain.

Opening the front door, he watched as Makkachin rushed out, locking up as he went. It was all part of the same routine, the same things he did every day, and in a sense, that didn’t sit well with Victor. He didn’t like routine. It made things boring, stagnant. Victor wanted more than anything to not know what was around the corner. He spent his life trying to surprise people on the ice; a little spontaneity in his own life wouldn’t go amiss. But he knew he needed routine. He needed to keep training if he wanted to keep winning those gold medals.

But it stopped being about the medals a long time ago. Victor had won so many golds, he didn’t mind getting a silver. He’d still try his best to be at the top, but his focus was more on perfecting the routines these days than it was on scores. Victor wanted the stories his programs told to be heard and understood. That was completely up to him and how he performed them.

Training started the moment he left the apartment. A short run to the rink stretched his muscles and got him prepared for the long day ahead. Victor enjoyed this particular part of his routine, being able to enjoy the scenery of his hometown, able to feel like just another person. Sometimes the fame of being a well-known figure skater could be exhausting. Makkachin always ran ahead, stopping every now and then to wait for him, her tongue lolling to the side as she panted excitedly.

Victor liked to take his time with his morning runs. It was meant to loosen his muscles. Trying too hard, rushing ahead, would only be detrimental. Besides, it was the most relaxing part of a long day. He knew he’d be on that ice for the rest of the afternoon, that he’d be falling over, attempting spins, trying to get into the mindset of his routines. Blood, sweat, and tears went into being a skater, and Victor wanted to enjoy the calm before the storm.

Arriving at the rink, Victor watched as Makkachin rushed ahead of him, rolling his eyes with a fond smile as she ran towards Mila’s open arms, barrelling her over. If there was one person who loved Makkachin as much as Victor did, it was probably Mila. Her laughter echoed through the room while she carefully got to her feet and guided Makkachin to the water bowl they had set up for her. She really was like part of the Russian skating team. Victor liked to think of her as their mascot.

It took no time at all for him to be called onto the ice. Victor had gotten used to this. Yakov didn’t want him to get rusty. Victor Nikiforov was the greatest champion of figure skating. He was not allowed to let himself get tired. He had to maintain his form, and couldn’t allow himself the luxury of time off; and it was no different when he got to the rink. Yakov expected Victor on the ice as soon as he arrived to run through some warm ups and practice his jumps.

It would be a while before Victor actually went through the routines. Yakov wanted to focus on each element first. Then he would put it all together, and create something magical. Victor wasn’t always sure of that style of teaching. He liked to think the elements would be better if he let them flow from one to another, but Yakov had never failed him. If Victor wanted to perfect his routines, he had to listen to his coach. Sometimes, that was hard. Victor wasn’t always the best student.

Victor’s mind was on the exhibition skate as he slowly moved along the ice, letting his legs get used to the shift in balance. He kept thinking about that story. The tale of a man who was so desperate for love, he’d allow himself to go through all the pain in the world just for a chance. He’d let everyone walk all over him if it meant maybe, just maybe finding the one. The one who would make him feel complete. Victor wasn’t even sure he believed in such things. He didn’t want to think he wasn’t a complete person without the love of another, but he couldn’t deny that it felt like something was missing.

Maybe it was just that he wanted more, wanted to be part of something grander. And Victor couldn’t possibly imagine anything greater than love.

His mind remained on that routine, on how hopeless it was, and how hopeless he felt even as he attempted a jump. It was futile. He didn’t know what he was doing. He’d been so desperate, he even wished on a star. Had his sorrows really come to that, or had it been the drinks he’d had in his system talking? Victor’s landing was sloppy, and he hit the ice with a loud thud, groaning softly.

Sitting up, he looked around him, watching the way Georgi performed a triple axel, shifting his weight and moving his stance into that of an Ina Bauer. Victor sighed softly, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. If there was one thing he could say about his training mates, it was that he was surrounded by talent. It was nice to be able to watch them all grow. Victor went back to gently gliding along the ice, trying to give himself some time to clear his head. He needed to stop thinking so much. If he stopped thinking, then maybe he would be able to make these jumps.

Victor shifted his weight, attempting his signature quad flip only to land on his side, slowly sliding along the ice until he gently hit the barrier. Sitting upright on the cold surface with his legs out in front of him, Victor looked up at his coach, smiling sweetly as he was met with a look of disdain.

As Victor got to his feet, Yakov’s voice echoed through the room, “Vitya! Step sequences!”

“Yeah, yeah.,” Victor sighed softly as he dusted more ice from his clothes. Victor didn’t often get told to focus on his steps instead. It was a tell-tale sign that he was doing a whole lot worse than usual, and Yakov was getting tired of watching him falter.

Victor didn’t like failing. No one did. But being the champion made him feel like he wasn’t allowed to fail. It wasn’t supposed to be a possibility in Victor Nikiforov’s mind. Failure on the ice simply didn’t make sense when it involved him. Gliding along the ice in gentle circles, Victor simply watched as the other skaters trained, giving himself a moment to breathe, to stop thinking so much and get back to his usual standard.

Finally, Victor moved through the steps of his short program, eyes closed as he focused on his movements, trying to hear the music in his mind. It was a complicated sequence of steps, and though he knew he could do it, step sequences weren’t at the top of his list of skills. Victor wanted more than anything to perfect them, to be able to step on the ice with ease, and to make the audience feel everything he did. So he moved along the ice with care, trying to make sure his steps were fluid, flowing as naturally as breathing.

As he made his way through a particular part of the sequence, his mind went back to previous thoughts, imagining what it would be like to do this with a partner, to have someone on his arm, someone he could gently twirl along the ice. He could picture it so easily, someone beautiful to show off to the world in their delicate movements. Victor never knew he wanted something as badly as that before.

With his focus entirely on what this would be like with a partner, Victor leaned a little too far with the expectation of a phantom body to hold him upright. Balance shifted, and Victor soon found himself in a heap on the ice. Again. He groaned in frustration, quickly getting to his feet to try again. Victor could feel Yakov’s eyes on him, could tell he was being judged from afar. Normally, it wouldn’t bother him, but clearly things weren’t going right that day, and for once, he actually felt nervous.

Victor tried all different sections of his programs. Jumps, spins, step sequences, but he had landed few jumps, had stepped out of spins, and his step sequences were sloppy at best. The frustration was slowly building throughout the day, until Yakov finally spoke up, “Vitya, go home.”

“What?” Victor was getting to his feet after yet another fall as the command hit his ears. He wiped the sweat from his brow, leaning against the barrier, “But we still have a few more hours.”

“I can’t do anything with you like this. Go home. Sort out whatever has you so distracted, and we’ll try again tomorrow.” Yakov’s frown was clear, but he didn’t seem angry. No, Victor knew his coach.  _ That _ was concern.

Victor wanted to argue. He wanted to say he could do it, that these routines were part of him, and would be no trouble at all, but he didn’t feel it. He didn’t believe it himself. There was no confidence in his steps, no confidence in his jumps. Victor really was lost. Sighing in defeat he made his way off the ice, slipping on his skate guards and heading to the locker room to change out of his skates.

* * *

 

Being at home so early in the evening felt strange. Victor had gotten used to the routine of skating. He was meant to be at the rink, meant to be working through the programs and figuring out what needed improvements. But that was just it. Everything needed improving. There was nothing in his programs that was working. For the first time in his life, Victor wasn’t skating like a gold medallist. He was failing, and it felt so wrong. It felt like a part of him really was missing, like the skills he thought he had weren’t there anymore, and weren’t willing to return. Of course, he knew that wasn’t it at all. His conversation with Chris was weighing on his mind. The realisation that he wanted something more out of life was still at the forefront of his thoughts.

But Victor didn’t have time to fix that. He couldn’t just meet someone, and fall hopelessly in love. And even if by some miracle, he did find someone, Victor knew that his schedule would never allow for a relationship to last. The things he desired were simply not meant to be. Victor couldn’t fix that. Instead, he had no choice but to forget it. His career meant more to him than something that he knew wouldn’t last. But oh, love sounded so wonderful; like the most perfect quad flip, the most breathtaking of step sequences.

A shower. That would help. Victor hoped, at the very least. The hot water would wash away the troubles, would make him stop thinking so much about this. It was ridiculous to even dwell on it. If it wasn’t meant to be, he needed to focus on the things he  _ could _ have. As the water soaked into his skin, Victor could feel his muscles relaxing, the bruises from a day of falling, a day of failure, being soothed. Victor knew he’d be black and blue in the morning, but it was all part of the sport. Everyone fell. Even the champion fell. Just maybe not as much as he had that day.

Dragging his fingers through his hair, Victor closed his eyes and let the water gently stream over his face, hoping that somehow, maybe it would wash away the thoughts, the all-encompassing desires that were much too far from reach. Victor needed to stop thinking so much. That’s all it was. If he could get his mind out of this rut, then things could go back to the way they were. But as it was, there was no way in the world Victor would even get on the podium for his next competition. And that simply wasn’t acceptable.

Victor quickly ended up falling back into routine for the rest of the evening. Feeding Makkachin, feeding himself, and then eventually he was in bed, staring at the ceiling as he tried to figure out what he was going to do when he got to the rink the next day. Makkachin had settled at Victor’s side, sleeping pressed up against him, sharing her warmth. It was a soothing feeling, one that he had gotten used to. But it wasn’t the feeling he wanted. And all Victor could think about since his realisation at that banquet was how it would feel to have a body to sleep next to. Victor imagined wrapping his arms around them, letting their bodies tangle together. He’d fall asleep with his head rested against their chest, listening to the steady heartbeat, soothed by the gentle rise and fall of their breaths.

Victor had never realised before how lonely he was.

Turning onto his side, Victor wrapped an arm around Makkachin, silently wishing it was something more, wishing there was someone who could love Makkachin as much as he did, would share their bed, and make them both happier than dreams would begin to imagine. With thoughts of a better day, thoughts of a happily ever after, and the exhaustion that only came with a day of failure, Victor eventually fell into a fitful sleep.

It didn’t help that at some point in the night, a loud sound rang out in the darkness. It sounded like an explosion, like a collision of immense size. The sound jolted Victor from his sleep, eyes wide as he tried to figure out what the hell had happened. Explosions weren’t exactly a regular occurrence. There was no light outside the window to indicate fire, no sound of sirens on their way to investigate. So, what had it been?

Whatever it was, it had Makkachin’s attention. The poodle barked, rushing out of the bedroom and heading out on her own little investigation. That was another strange reaction. Makkachin usually let whatever sounds occurred in the night slide in place of sleep. No matter how loud it was, she was a lazy girl once bed was involved. But she wanted answers. She was on the hunt for the reason for this inexplicable interruption.

Sighing softly, Victor got out of bed, following the path of his curious pooch. Once he was out in the living area, Victor switched on a light, spotting Makkachin at the front door, “What is it, girl?”

Makkachin whined, pawing at the wooden finish. She wanted to go outside. She wanted to investigate. Victor would never normally do such things, but he knew Makkachin. He knew that she was going to be like this all night if Victor didn’t find out what had happened, didn’t set her mind at ease. And if there was one thing Victor was simply unable to resist, it was his dog.

She never left the front door, scratching desperately, barking and whining in a desperate need to go out there and find out what it was. Victor rushed to get dressed, throwing on the first shirt he could find and a pair of sweatpants. Slipping on his shoes, he made his way back to Makkachin, kneeling at her side and brushing fingers gently through her fur, trying to calm her, “I’ll go check it out. You stay here. It could be dangerous.”

Victor would’ve brought her, but the sound was loud.  It was a deep, booming, intimidating noise ringing out in the dark of night. Victor didn’t know what it was, and he wasn’t willing to take Makkachin to investigate until he knew it was safe.

Opening the front door, Victor had to push Makkachin back a few times before he was finally able to close it behind him. Victor didn’t know what he was doing, or why. This wasn’t logical; it didn’t make any sense to go searching out the source of strange noises in the night. But Makkachin was on edge, and he wanted to sleep. If he could calm his dog down, maybe they’d be able to get a few more hours of rest before the thoughts plaguing his mind came back to haunt him.

Victor only had a vague idea of the direction the sound had come from. The streets were void of people, an eerie quiet filling the cold night air. If Victor was more paranoid, he’d probably be afraid. Too quiet, too lonely, -- the streets didn’t often feel like this. Though, Victor wasn’t often out so late in the night. Maybe it was like this when it got to the later hours. Victor liked to believe that he knew his hometown, knew it well enough to know these things. But it seemed St. Petersburg still had surprises to throw at him.

Victor walked along the street for a few more minutes before he reached a nearby field. Well, if there was somewhere something could happen in the middle of the night, Victor was sure that would be the place. It wasn’t too far from the apartment. Victor knew that any loud noises from this place would easily reach his bedroom. There were no lights. No flames in licking at the cold night air, no smoke to guide him towards the cause of this disturbance.  The only reason Victor knew he had found the right place was the mounds of dirt scattered in a large circle near the centre of the open field.

That certainly hadn’t been there before.

Victor was hesitant as he made his way over, intent to investigate, but feared the worst. Maybe it was a meteor. Or were they meteorites when they fell? Victor never paid that much attention into science class. His steps were tentative, barely moving at all as he made his way closer, hoping that whatever  _ it _ was, it wasn’t dangerous.

It was as he was reaching the edge of the large crater that Victor heard it. A voice. He wasn’t sure what they were saying. It sounded mostly like someone grumbling under their breath, arguing with themselves. But Victor had walked an empty street up until this point. He knew that there was no one else around. Maybe he really had finally lost his mind. Peering into the crater, Victor prepared himself to see fiery brimstone, a portal to hell, a never-ending pit of despair, or something equally horrible that his half-asleep mind couldn’t begin to comprehend.

What he didn’t expect to see was a man.

Whoever it was, they were kneeling at the centre of the chasm, dusting the dirt from their dark hair. It was the clothes that really took Victor by surprise. It was like something from a Greek mythology class. The robe the man wore was short. It was made even more obvious as he got to his feet, dusting the dirt from his rear. The dark blue fabric reached just above his knees. The edges of the cloth were embroidered with blue rhinestones that seemed to glisten in the moonlight. A golden belt wrapped delicately around the man’s waist, and golden chains encircled his ankles.

Victor was utterly confused. He watched as the man leaned over to dust off his knees, trying to figure out what was happening. Was it a dream? It had to be a dream, right? These kinds of things didn’t just happen. There were so many questions running through his mind, and none of it made any sense.

Clearing his throat, Victor pushed down his unease, his uncertainty, “Um, Are you okay?”

“No one warned me about the landings,” the man continued to grumble, brushing a hand through his hair. As he turned to face Victor, a smile lit up his face, and Victor watched in awe as the stranger actually began to glow a gentle white light, “Oh, it’s you! Perfect.”

Maybe it was a fan. Victor had gotten reactions like that from fans before, but he’d never met someone quite so strange. He took a step away from the edge of the crater as the man moved closer, trying to climb out of the hole he’d found himself in, “D-Do you need me to call someone for you or something?”

Stepping away from the hole earned him a frown from the stranger, and suddenly a hand was being reached out to him, “Give me a hand? I don’t want to be stuck in here all night.”

“Oh. Right.,” That made sense. He wasn’t just going to fly out of that hole, the edges too steep to climb. Victor knelt down beside the crater, reaching out and taking his hand, noticing the gentle feel of his skin, and tugged him out. There were a lot of strange things that had happened to Victor in the past, but this definitely took the cake. “What happened?”

It was the question at the forefront of Victor’s mind. What had happened? Why was there a random stranger in a hole in the middle of a field in the dead of night? 

But despite how worried and confused Victor was, the man’s smile never faltered. In fact, he bounced a little in place with his excitement, and said, “You made a wish on me, silly.” 

Victor froze as the words left the stranger’s lips: “Victor Nikiforov, I’m here to make your wish come true.”


	3. Scorpio

Victor had gone crazy. That was the only explanation for what was happening. There he was, in a field in the middle of the night with a man who claimed to be… a star. He would’ve left at that moment on any other night, would’ve shaken all of this insanity off as nothing more than a very obsessive fan, but there were too many coincidences, too many things that made Victor question it. What if it really was true? What if his wish had actually caused something?

But wishes on stars weren’t real. They were just a comfort, just something people did when they felt a desperate need for something to happen. When Victor had made that wish, he didn’t plan for it to come true. In fact, he’d been certain it wouldn’t. There was nothing that was going to make it happen. Until now.

Victor rubbed a hand over his face, trying to gather his thoughts, but they all seemed to come together to form one very loaded question, “...What?”

The stranger frowned, “You wished for love. You were at a party, you went outside and looked up at the stars. You made a wish. Don’t you remember?”

Victor was sure his heart had stopped. This couldn’t be real. There was no one else there when he made that wish. He had been outside, all alone. Even if there had been someone there, Victor knew all the people who went to those banquets. He’d never once met the man standing in front of him. Dragging a hand through his hair, Victor took another hesitant step back, “But… you said I wished on you. That would mean…”

Those pretty dark eyes rolled, a fond smile appearing on the stranger’s lips, “You’re really slow, huh? That’s probably a big turn off,” he sighed softly, “We’ve got a lot of work to do. Come on. Take me back to your place.”

He had no reason to believe any of this. Except of course, the fact that this man was actually glowing. That didn’t seem entirely natural. But he was still a stranger, someone he had no reason to trust, “I don’t even know your name.”

“I’m Yuuri. You’re Victor.” His smile was almost as bright as his glowing skin, stepping forward and resting a hand on Victor’s shoulder, “Now we know each other. Can we go now?”

It was late. It was cold. Victor was tired and confused. Maybe on any other night, he would’ve thought things through a little better. Maybe he would’ve realised how crazy this was and left this stranger there. But, there was a part of him that _wanted_ it to be true, _wanted_ Yuuri to have come from the sky to grant his wish. Was that really so much to ask for? Probably.

Although Yuuri was working as a walking, talking night light, there didn’t seem to be anyone around to notice it. Thank goodness for small mercies. Victor could only imagine trying to explain it to someone in passing. Even _he_ didn’t understand what was going on. It was one of the few things that had somewhat sold Victor on this insanity. As they got to Victor’s block, Yuuri rushed ahead. Victor wasn’t sure whether he was meant to stop him, or let Yuuri run away. He was still a stranger. Maybe it would be better if he disappeared and this whole night turned out to be nothing more than a very strange dream.

Yuuri turned back to Victor, pointing to the apartment building, “You live here, right?”

Victor raised an eyebrow, opening the door and gesturing for Yuuri to step inside, “How’d you know that?”

“I’ve been watching you for a while.” Yuuri shrugged, “I spend a lot of time in the sky. Watching people is the most fun I have.”

He should’ve expected that response. Maybe Victor wasn’t completely sold on this yet. In fact, he definitely wasn’t. No matter how badly he wanted to believe it, it was too good to be true. Yuuri was cute, though. Maybe that was why he was playing along. Had he really become that desperate? Victor sighed as the elevator arrived, pressing the button for his floor as they stepped in, “Really? What else do you know about me, then?”  

Yuuri nodded to himself, leaning back against the wall of the elevator, “Hm… I know that you started skating when you were four years old, that you found your dog when you were twelve. She was a shelter dog. You always said you’d prefer to adopt a dog from a shelter than to buy one ‘cause you felt sorry for the ones without homes.” Yuuri stepped closer, resting a hand on Victor’s shoulder and tilting his head to look up at him with a sparkle in his eyes, “You know, some people find that kind of sensitivity really attractive.”

A blush spread across Victor’s nose, averting his gaze. There were certain things that no one knew about him. He had told the magazines about finding Makkachin in a shelter and immediately falling in love with her. But, he never explained that shelter dogs had been the only option for him. He’d never expressed that particular feeling of guilt he would get just thinking about getting a dog from anywhere else. But, Yuuri knew. Yuuri knew things that a fan wouldn’t. Not only did he know, but he seemed to be actively using it to find the traits to make Victor seem like an attractive choice of partner.

Maybe this wasn’t so crazy.

As the elevator opened, Victor saw it as his chance to escape, quickly stepping out and heading into the hallway. This was crazy. This whole evening was like something from a movie, something that simply did not happen.

Victor slipped the key into the lock, opening the door. Maybe he would’ve been prepared any other night, but his mind, no, his whole world had been rocked. He was not at all prepared for Makkachin to bolt out of the apartment, knocking Yuuri to the ground with a startled yelp. She had always been excitable, and her concern for the noise in the night had been the entire reason for Victor’s trip into the darkness, the reason he’d stumbled on a pretty, glowing star in the middle of a crater. Had he mentioned how pretty Yuuri was?

Looking down at Yuuri on the floor, pinned down by a fluffy poodle, Victor chuckled, “Makka, that’s not how we treat guests.” Yuuri was frozen, eyes the size of the crater Victor had found him in earlier that night as he stared at the dog hovering over him. Victor frowned, “Are you okay?”

“Is… is she gonna eat me?” Yuuri’s voice trembled and he didn’t dare look away from Makkachin for even a moment, “Three billion years, and this is how I die…”

Victor rolled his eyes, “She’s not gonna… wait, three billion years!?”

“Tell her I don’t taste good! Victor!” Yuuri whimpered, biting his bottom lip as he watched the dog- the dog who was making herself comfortable on Yuuri, tongue hanging from the side of her mouth as she sniffed at his chin.

Victor sighed, kneeling beside Yuuri and gently taking his hand. He lifted it carefully until Yuuri’s fingers were tangled in curly fur. It was obvious Yuuri was scared, too scared to listen to reason. It was also obvious that Makkachin liked this stranger, whoever he was. So, all Victor could do was try to push Yuuri to see that she was harmless. He’d watched her from the sky, hadn’t he? How didn’t he know she was a sweetheart? But Yuuri had said he’d never seen a poodle in person before…

“What are you doing!?” Yuuri squeaked, positively shaking as Makkachin licked his cheek, “O-Oh. She’s soft.”

“I think she likes you.” Victor laughed, offering Yuuri his hand.

Yuuri took Victor’s hand, pulling himself up and adjusting his robe. He smiled, the bright glow from earlier back on display, “At least you’re a gentleman. That gets you some attractiveness points.”

“Attractiveness points…?” Victor smirked as he pulled Yuuri inside, closing the door behind them, “How many of those do I have?”

“I don’t know. Let me get a good look at you, see what I’m dealing with here.” Yuuri circled Victor, carefully inspecting him, “Well, I know you’re very sweet and charming. You work hard, so that’s a plus.” Yuuri reached out, gently gripping Victor’s arm, “Hm, nice muscles. Not too much, just right.”

Victor could feel the blush beginning to paint his cheeks as Yuuri rounded him, a wandering hand brushing over his stomach as he hummed contently. Victor had been handled by people before, had dealt with trainers shifting him into the correct positions, but this was something else. This was pure scrutiny. Yuuri was trying to determine just how attractive he was, and Victor hadn’t felt quite so self-conscious before.

Yuuri let his hands continue to wander, gently cupping Victor’s ass and giggling to himself when he let out a surprised squeak, “Relax. Think of me like a doctor.” He leaned over Victor’s shoulder with a smirk, “A doctor of love.”

“If your hand goes anywhere else, I’m breaking it off,” Victor warned, not sounding the least bit threatening.

Yuuri held up his hands in surrender, his smirk never faltering. He moved his face closer, staring into Victor’s eyes with so much focus, “Your eyes are like… gemstones. Like moonstone mixed with sapphires…”

“Wh-What?” Victor blinked, afraid to move, afraid to break whatever wonderful spell Yuuri had him under because Yuuri was so close and Yuuri’s eyes were so dark and rich, flecks of gold dusted within them. And those eyelashes, oh they were otherworldly, ethereal.

“Maybe not sapphires. Those are a little dark. Aquamarines? Yeah.” Yuuri shifted himself even closer, warm breath tickling Victor’s skin. “They sparkle. They’re incredible. I bet they’re the first thing people notice about you.”

Victor’s mind was reeling. This was all a lot. Too much. There was a gorgeous man in his apartment. One that was so completely determined to figure out his best traits in order to find Victor love. It was just so much more than he had planned for his evening. Victor wasn’t even sure he had time for romance. Could he even say that? Yuuri had traveled a long way. Literally. He had fallen from the sky to help him. Victor couldn’t just turn him away… could he?

It was as those thoughts ran in circles through his mind that Victor felt a grip on his shirt, felt a pull forward, felt lips pressed against his own.

Victor froze, eyes wide in pure shock. There was another thing about Yuuri was that soft. Those lips. So soft and gentle, but warm and inviting. And part of Victor really did want to meet that kiss halfway, but his mind was still trying to catch up with everything that was happening. Why was this happening!?

The kiss ended as quickly as it began, Yuuri humming thoughtfully, “Could be better. Might need to work on that.”

“You could’ve warned me!” Victor squeaked, hand brushing over his own lips, tracing the ghost of Yuuri’s left behind.

Yuuri already had a habit of surprising Victor. It was amazing, really. He’d been surprised more times than he could count over the course of no more than an hour. Victor tried to tell himself that the kiss meant nothing. Yuuri was simply trying to judge him, to figure out what needed working on if he wanted to find someone. Victor had to admit, he hadn’t actually considered that _he_ was the problem. It wasn’t that other people were the problem, either. It was simply time. Time that he didn’t have. Skating had always come first, and Victor loved it, but in those quiet moments, he was lonely. Maybe this would be a good thing. Maybe Yuuri was a good thing.

“You have a lovely aura, too.” Yuuri hummed appreciatively, “Such a pretty shade of magenta. I guess that explains why you haven’t found anyone, though.”

Victor paused, tilting his head to the side as he watched Yuuri, trying to decipher his words. Auras were things spiritual people talked about. People who wore crystals and talked about their chakras. It wasn’t that Victor thought it was the stuff of fairytales. He simply had never understood what any of it meant before. When he really stopped and thought about it, it made sense that Yuuri, a person made of starlight, would talk about such things.

Curiosity got the better of him, and he asked before he could think better of it, “What does magenta mean?”

“It’s rare. I don’t see it very often. It means you see life a little differently from everyone else. You’re artistic, you like to create things.” Yuuri’s fingers traced an outline around Victor’s arm as if caressing the aura in question, “You like to shock people. And you don’t like to stick to social expectations.”

Victor had thought it was possibly something he didn’t want to know about himself. It was probably going to tell him something about himself that he didn’t want to know. There had to be a reason Yuuri had said it might just be the cause of his lackluster love life. Everything he’d said had sounded good, though. And right. Victor hadn’t expected it to encompass his personality quite so well.

“But,” Victor’s smile faltered when Yuuri said it, “It also means you’re a loner.”

Was he? Victor had always thought it was simply that he had too much work on his plate with training. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to meet people. He just didn’t have the time. Though he supposed there were a few times Chris had tried to play matchmaker for him, and Victor had turned down the offer. He didn’t want to meet them. He was certain before he even did that they weren’t going to be _the one_ , that he wasn’t going to have a good time. Victor had had a few moments in his life like that. There was the option to meet someone new or stay home with his dog, and most of the time, he chose Makkachin. He hadn’t ever really thought about it until that moment.

Yuuri hummed happily, skipping away with Makkachin trotting behind him. He headed to the kitchen, opening cupboards and picking out cups. He held them up to the light, admiring them. He picked out a mug with a cartoon poodle on the side, cooing as he knelt beside Makkachin, holding it up to her, “It looks just like you!”

Victor smiled fondly. That was the reason he had gotten it in the first place. Makkachin’s tail thumped excitedly behind her as she sniffed at the mug, licking Yuuri’s fingers. The giggle that left Yuuri was soft and sweet like windchimes, and Victor was beginning to think everything about stars must be like that. Soft, sweet, pretty. It couldn’t just be Yuuri. Victor had never met a star before, so it was difficult to judge.

A star. Right. He was talking to a star. There was a _star_ wandering around his apartment. Not some celebrity. No, a celestial being was bouncing around the room, picking up trinkets from his shelves and admiring them as if they were the most incredible things he’d ever seen. There were so many things Victor didn’t know. He wasn’t sure what he was meant to do about it, whether this was even real. There was a very real possibility that Yuuri was nothing more than a fan. A very confused, possibly insane fan who he should be getting some help for. But Yuuri was glowing. He was glowing in the night, and even as he was meandering around the apartment, Victor could see the way his body shone. That wasn’t normal. That wasn’t human.

Yuuri wasn’t human.

There was something in that realisation. Though Victor already knew, though he was well aware that it was true, telling himself made it feel more real. Once it felt real, the panic began to sink in. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t throw Yuuri out, but Yuuri couldn’t stay there… could he? What did stars eat? Did they eat? What was he meant to do with Yuuri when he was training? How long was Yuuri going to be there? The questions were neverending, running around in circles in his head with no sign of answers for any of them.

“Ooh what’s this?” Yuuri reached up to a high shelf, ending up on his toes as he stretched. So, apparently he couldn’t fly. Or he didn’t have wings. That was the way it seemed, at least. As Yuuri stretched to reach the object that had caught his attention, the short robe he was wearing rode up, and oh. He wasn’t wearing anything underneath it. Victor supposed that did make sense. Stars probably didn’t actually need clothes. From that angle, he could see the curve of Yuuri’s ass, and wow, what a great ass it was. Victor let out a sound he wasn’t sure could be described as human, catching Yuuri’s attention. Though Yuuri was back on the heels of his feet, his hip was still jutted out, a hand on his waist as he looked over his shoulder at Victor, “What?”

“N-No, nothing.” Victor’s brain was short circuiting. It had to be. Yuuri frowned, looking at him like he was crazy. He probably was. Giving up on him, Yuuri turned back to the shelf, moving to get back on his toes again, and Victor rushed forward, his voice cracking, “I-I’ll get it for you!”

Yuuri eyed Victor curiously as he stood at his side, reaching up to the high shelf to retrieve the item in question, “Are all humans this strange?”

“No, I’m very special.” Victor retorted, placing a gold medal in Yuuri’s open palm, “Is this what you wanted?”

Yuuri hummed appreciatively as he ran a finger delicately along the face of the medal, admiring the way it shimmered in the light. “It’s so shiny.”

He let the medal slip through his fingers, taking hold of the ribbon and carefully placing it around his neck. As Yuuri looked up at Victor, his smile was beaming, the glow around his body growing just the slightest bit brighter. He looked so happy, so excited to simply have this golden disc around his neck. Victor knew how amazing it felt, he’d won those medals fair and square, but Yuuri’s smile was different. Yuuri was excited for a reason entirely his own.

Victor had never seen anyone glow before, but it seemed like it had something to do with how happy Yuuri was. Or at least, it had a connection to his emotions. That much, Victor had figured out. He stepped closer, lifting the medal to inspect it carefully. “You seem more happy about it than I was.”

“I love gold. And silver, too.” Yuuri bounced on the soles of his feet, skipping away from Victor and back to the kitchen a moment later. He rifled through drawers, pulling out a spoon and holding it up to the light, “Humans have so many interesting things.”

Victor could only watch as a man made of stardust wandered around his apartment, moving from room to room and picking up any trinket that caught his eye. How late was it? How much sleep had Victor had? Was he dreaming all of this? There was the very real possibility this was all a very strange dream brought on by his exhaustion. But then, Victor wasn’t so sure his wildest dreams could possibly conjure up Yuuri.

Victor glanced up from the kitchen counter just in time to see Makkachin’s fluffy tail trailing into the bedroom. The bedroom. Yuuri was in his bedroom. Victor hadn’t had someone in his bedroom in as long as he could remember, and for some reason beyond his understanding, that was mildly terrifying. What would Yuuri find in there? Did he have anything he should have hidden? Victor wasn’t sure there was anything in his bedroom that was particularly embarrassing.

He should really check. Yuuri could find anything. He certainly had shown he was curious enough to get his hands on things Victor had completely forgotten existed. Quickly, Victor rushed to the bedroom door, spotting Yuuri laid out in the middle of the bed. Makkachin was at his side, rolled onto her back and offering her belly for rubs, rubs Yuuri seemed all too willing to provide. He’d been scared of her mere moments before, and now they were best friends. Funny how quickly things changed. Yuuri was laying on his stomach, hand running along her belly as he cooed, telling Makkachin just how pretty she was. Victor certainly couldn’t argue with that.

Yuuri lifted his legs from the bed, crossing his ankles together in the air behind him. The chains jingled together like windchimes, and Victor was once again graced with the view of far too much Yuuri ass for a first date, let alone a first meeting. Victor quickly rounded the bed, clearing his throat as he reached for the hem of Yuuri’s robe, “I uh, I’m just gonna…” Before Yuuri could question him, Victor was carefully tugging down the robe, avoiding touching Yuuri anywhere. This was strange, and wrong, and he shouldn’t have had a random stranger in his bed, no matter how stunning, and cute, and _not human_ he was.

Yuuri seemed oblivious to the battle going on in Victor’s mind, though, smiling up at him, “Where do I get to sleep?”

Right. Yuuri was going to want to stay with him. He couldn’t very well kick Yuuri out onto the street. He had fallen from the sky that night if the crater was any indication, and he wouldn’t have had anywhere else to stay. Did stars have money? Could they afford a hotel room? Then again, just the thought of Yuuri wandering around on his own, talking to people and possibly revealing that he wasn’t entirely human didn’t sit right for Victor.

No, Yuuri had to stay. There was the spare room. Yuuri could stay there. It would be fine. Victor didn’t have guests that often. He could keep Yuuri to himself. No one would need to know about the ethereal matchmaker that had fallen into his life.

* * *

 

When Victor woke the next morning, he was alone. The room was completely silent, the light from the morning sun beginning to bleed through the edges of the curtains. Victor would’ve thought perhaps everything had indeed been a dream, that none of the nonsense from the night before had been real. He would’ve thought that. He wanted to believe that, but it wasn’t normal for him to wake up alone like that. Normally, there would be a little poodle at his slide, either sleeping soundly, or jumping all over him and nagging Victor to bring her food. Neither of those things happened. Instead, Victor was left alone, staring at the ceiling as he tried to sort through his thoughts and figure out what in the world he was supposed to do.

Sleep was what Victor really wanted; to turn over in bed, hide his face in the pillows and sleep the day away. After all the chaos of the night before, Victor had missed out on so much sleep. Just a couple hours, he had told himself. A couple more hours of sleep, and then he could go to training. Except he knew what Yakov would be like if he was late. Especially after the disastrous training session Victor had had the previous day. No, Victor definitely needed to be up and at the rink as soon as possible.

Dragging himself from the warmth of his sheets, Victor padded his way out of the bedroom, rubbing tiredly at his eyes as he went through the usual morning routine. Brushing his teeth, shower, fixing his hair, getting dressed. He stared at himself in the mirror, unsatisfied with what he saw. Victor wasn’t a bad looking person. He knew he wasn’t. It was hard to not know when he was constantly being hounded for photoshoots and found fans shouting from the sidelines about just how sexy they thought he was. Victor knew he wasn’t bad looking. But he didn’t see the appeal, either. He wasn’t bad, but he was average at best. There were plenty of cuter guys in the world. Maybe that was why he’d had so much trouble with love. Maybe he wasn’t cute enough.

Victor didn’t have time to dwell on it, stepping out of the bathroom and stopping in his tracks as he spotted Yuuri on the couch. He was laying on his stomach, an arm and a leg dangling from the edge of the couch. If Victor listened closely, he could hear the sound of a gentle snore. Yuuri was still asleep. Yuuri hadn’t slept in the spare room after all. And that also explained where Makkachin was. She was sleeping on top of Yuuri, her body curled up and settled in the middle of Yuuri’s back. Victor wasn’t sure how that could possibly be comfortable, but he couldn’t deny how sweet it was. That’s what he needed, what he craved; someone in his life that he could love who cared that much for Makkachin, too. But, Victor wasn’t fooling himself into believing there were people in the world who loved dogs as much as he did.

His movements were slow and careful as Victor made his way through the apartment, afraid to wake Yuuri. It was nice to at least know that stars did sleep. He had suspected Yuuri might’ve been nocturnal, since they only ever saw the stars at night. Then again, Victor didn’t know if the stars they saw at night were actually awake. He hadn’t known they had any semblance of sentience until the night before.

Suddenly, there were a lot of things Victor just didn’t know. Did stars eat? He glanced over at Yuuri, watching the way he nuzzled into the couch cushion. Would Yuuri like breakfast? Would he eat it if Victor prepared something? Would it just be a waste of time? What if stars were allergic to whatever it was he cooked up?

Victor settled on bacon. Everyone liked bacon. He hadn’t met anyone in his life who didn’t. It was an indulgence, something he never normally ate during the skating season, but after the night he’d had, a little indulgence didn’t seem so bad. Besides, if Yuuri liked it, a scolding from Yakov would be worth it.

As the bacon sizzled in the pan, Victor thought about what it was he was supposed to do now that Yuuri was there. Was he really meant to find love? Was he meant to know what that really felt like? And even if love was something Victor would get to experience one day, how did he know for sure that Yuuri could be the one able to provide it? Yuuri couldn’t just pluck someone off the street and magically make them the perfect person to make Victor happy. So, what was it he was planning to do?

Victor cracked a couple of eggs into the pan, the loud sound of sizzling filling the room, and Victor almost wanted to demand the food cook a little more quietly for the sake of his sleeping guest.

“Mm what’s that smell?” Yuuri’s voice was still deep with sleep, mumbling quietly.

Well, so much for letting Yuuri sleep for a little while longer. He turned over the bacon as it began to crisp, “Breakfast. You do eat, right?”

That was a question Victor had never expected to have to ask anyone before. Everyone ate. Eating was part of life. To not be able to eat seemed like such a waste. It was one of the joys in life, so many things to taste and experience. Yuuri seemed excited to see the world and to learn about what it was like to be human. It would be a shame if Yuuri never got to try food.

Yuuri swatted at Makkachin until she dropped down from his back, allowing him to get up. He sat up, rubbing at his eyes, “Don’t know. I’ve never tried before.”

The soft sound Yuuri made as he yawned was utterly adorable, stretching his limbs as he got to his feet. He slowly walked across the room until he was at Victor’s side, watching the food sizzling in the pan, “What is it?”

“Bacon and eggs.” Victor shrugged. “Go sit at the table, I’ll get you a plate.”

Yuuri smiled brightly, bouncing on his feet for a moment before he was skipping over to the table. He was so excitable, so effortlessly happy. If everyone in the world was that happy… well, it probably would be creepy, but it was incredibly endearing coming from Yuuri.

As he sat at the table, Yuuri rested his chin against his hand, watching Victor move around the kitchen, “I was thinking today we could go to some cafes, look around town. There might be a good club or something that would be good for meeting people. But you seem more like a cafe person. Besides, those relationships that start at clubs don’t usually last as long as you’re wanting it to.”

Victor paused, “I can’t.”

“Why not? You want to find love, don’t you?” Yuuri frowned, “Can’t just wait around for it to come to you, Victor. We’ve gotta get out there and find it.”

It was sweet, really; how enthusiastic Yuuri seemed to be about it. Yuuri seemed so determined to find Victor the love of his life, but no matter how much Victor wanted it, too, he knew that he couldn’t just turn his whole life upside down for it. Placing a plate of food in front of Yuuri, Victor sat down across from him with a plate of his own, and said, “I have training today. I can’t just skip it.”

Yuuri took a bite of the bacon, eliciting a moan that was positively sinful. Okay. Yuuri liked food. He definitely liked food. He didn’t seem to quite have cutlery figured out, but it didn’t matter as he scooped eggs and bacon into his mouth, groaning happily. Victor supposed that was an acceptable reaction for someone’s first taste of food. With cheeks filled with bacon and eggs, Yuuri looked reminiscent to a chipmunk. A very cute chipmunk.

Victor laughed, sliding a glass in Yuuri’s direction, “Slow down, you’re gonna choke.”

Taking the glass, Yuuri took a sip and then froze “This… this is amazing. What is it?”

“Uh… orange juice?”

“Do you have more?” Yuuri gulped down the last of it, leaning back in his chair and humming happily. “So sweet…”

“Sure…” Victor raised an eyebrow, “So, if you just stay here, I’ll be back after training and you can do… whatever it is you’re planning to do.”

“Don’t be silly.” The smile on Yuuri’s face was even brighter than all the stars in the sky, “I’m coming with you.”


	4. Taurus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad so many people seemed to like starboy so far. He's so sweet, I love him so much. I can't wait to show you guys more of him!

 

It certainly wasn’t the first time Victor had felt his brain begin to short circuit in the last twelve hours, and he doubted it would be the last. Surprises. That’s all Yuuri seemed to be made up of. 

But then again, when he really thought about it, Victor didn’t know why he believed Yuuri would just stay in the apartment while he was training. Yuuri had traveled all the way from the stars in order to find Victor love, so it made sense that he was planning to stick to Victor like glue until the right moment came. The world was strange and new, and Yuuri certainly wasn’t going to explore it on his own, which meant he had to be with Victor, even if that meant watching him train until they had a moment to themselves to think about a plan. 

Still, Victor could only imagine the reaction he’d get by bringing Yuuri to training. Georgi would assume things. He always did. If Victor was lucky, maybe he would forego the strange poetry about romance and happily ever afters. He wasn’t necessarily the issue. It had been difficult enough to get Yakov to accept Victor bringing Makkachin to training with him. It was a whole other story for him to accept another person there, watching them, seeing their techniques and learning where they may have been struggling. Yakov always did his best to protect them, and that meant no spectators. Victor was already in trouble for his performance the day before. This was only going to make things even more uncomfortable.

“Yuuri…” Victor sighed, raking his fingers through his hair, “I can’t bring you with me.”

“Why not? Makkachin gets to go.” Yuuri frowned, looking down at the dog curled up at his feet. 

It was almost scary how close Yuuri and Makkachin had gotten over the course of one night. Yuuri had been utterly terrified of her before, but now Victor was hard pressed to imagine the pair of them ever apart. It wasn’t a bad thing. Not usually, at least. But in that current moment, it felt like a curse, Yuuri using his own beloved dog against him like that.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched Yuuri. “How do you know that?”

He hadn’t told Yuuri, had made no attempt to let him know that Makkachin normally went to the rink with him. Yuuri rolled his eyes with a fond smile as he reached down to rub behind her ears, “She told me. Besides, I’ve been watching you for a while, remember?” Getting up from his seat, Yuuri rounded the table. He was standing right in front of Victor, confident smile playing on those lips. Those  _ lips _ . Victor still remembered the feel of them against his own. 

Yuuri reached out, brushing Victor’s silver bangs from his eyes. “I want to see your skating up close. Please?” 

Why were stars so pretty? Why did they know exactly what to say? Why did they wear short robes and why did it feel like the very world was a better place when they smiled? Victor’s heart was racing, though he wasn’t sure why. It was just Yuuri. Biting his lip, Victor nodded hesitantly. “Okay.” 

“Yay!” Yuuri grinned, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Let’s go, then!”

“Wait.” Victor reached out, gently gripping Yuuri’s arm to stop him before he got too excited. “You can’t go to the rink like that.”

“Like what?” Yuuri raked a hand through his hair, the dark locks that were once falling into his eyes now pushed back, revealing just how gorgeous their chocolate brown colour was. He brushed his hands together, sprinkles of glittery stardust fluttering to the ground. “Is my hair messy?”

Wow. Yuuri really was a whole lot to get used to. Victor got up, taking Yuuri by the hand and dragging him towards the bedroom, “You can’t go out dressed like that. That’s… not the kind of thing people wear.” 

“Really?” Yuuri looked down at himself, pivoting his hips as he did his best to look himself over, “I thought it looked good. Did I mess up?” 

Yuuri sounded so utterly disappointed and Victor almost regretted telling him the outfit wouldn’t do. 

Almost. 

Then he thought about walking into the rink with Yuuri in nothing but a robe at his side, and suddenly the thought that maybe he should’ve spared Yuuri’s feelings went right out the window. No. No, Yuuri had to get changed, he had to find something less conspicuous to wear. 

Victor rifled through his drawers, picking out shirts and pants that might just fit Yuuri. Their builds were so different, it was hard to be sure anything would actually fit, but he had to find something. It was that or call in sick, and Yakov wasn’t going to believe any of the stories he could come up with.

“Here, try on some of these, find something that fits.” Victor turned back to Yuuri as he spoke, just in time to see Yuuri tugging off the robe in question. “Wow! Okay! I-I um… I’m just…” He chuckled nervously as a blush rose to his cheeks, quickly turning away and gesturing to the door. “I’ll… I’ll wait out there.” 

Victor didn’t get flustered. Not normally. He didn’t really care about nudity so much, but when it was Yuuri, it just felt… different. He couldn’t quite put his finger on why exactly it was. Maybe because Yuuri had an incredible body and didn’t seem to realise it. Maybe because Yuuri was naive and innocent. Could Victor really call Yuuri naive and innocent? He had kissed Victor just to test his skill. He had groped Victor’s ass as part of his assessment of just how datable Victor was. But then again, Yuuri didn’t have any shame with his body, didn’t seem to even consider it as anything more than just something he had to have if he wanted to feel human. It was hard to know whether Yuuri really was as innocent as he seemed.

Minute after minute passed, and Victor had been tempted to check on Yuuri. If he did, he’d probably end up seeing far more of that perfect body than he should. No, Yuuri deserved some privacy, at least. But, what if he was having trouble? What if he wasn’t used to the types of clothing Victor had given to him? 

“Victor,” Yuuri called as the door opened, revealing the star boy in a pair of sweatpants that hung low around his hips. The shirt he was wearing was tight around his biceps, but that wasn’t the problem. The shirt showed off a sliver of skin along Yuuri’s belly, a sliver of skin that only seemed to grow bigger every time he moved or stretched, “This was the only one that fit. Is it okay?”

Yuuri didn’t have a perfect body. Not exactly. He wasn’t completely skinny, wasn’t completely muscle. There was just a little bit of fat around his stomach, just enough to make him cuddly. It was made even more obvious in that shirt, and Victor couldn’t deny how enticing it was. He wanted to wrap his arms around him, to feel how soft Yuuri was.  _ No _ . No, those kinds of thoughts weren’t helpful for anyone. 

The sweatpants, they could work with, but that shirt wasn’t going to do. Yuuri needed something else if he was going to blend in. But, what? Victor had tossed everything he had in Yuuri’s direction, hoping that something would work. He didn’t have time to go and buy anything. Tapping his finger against his lips, Victor paced around the room, trying to figure out what he could possibly do to make Yuuri look a little less noticeable. 

There was one thing he could do. One crazy little idea that could either make all the clothing problems go away for the day, or make Georgi’s romantic spiel all the more relentless. Still, Victor knew it was the only option he had at such short notice. “Just wait there.”

Victor rushed to the bedroom, pulling out one of his hoodies. He held it close, unsure of himself. Was it really such a good idea? Should he even have been humoring any of this? Admittedly, he wanted to know what Yuuri would look like in it, to just see him in it once. It wouldn’t hurt. It would just hide the tight shirt from prying eyes. Besides, they were going to a rink. It was going to be cold, so it made sense for Yuuri to be wearing a jacket. Even if the jacket was one that was so obviously Victor’s.

Pushing down the uncertainty, Victor headed back to Yuuri, offering him the jacket, “Here. Put this on.”

Yuuri eyed the hooded jacket curiously, taking it from Victor and pulling it on. He wrapped it around himself, carefully pulling up the zip at the front and humming happily as he wrapped his arms around himself. “It’s warm.”

‘R U’ was displayed proudly on Yuuri’s chest in bright red, the same red that lined along his sleeves. It was Victor’s favourite jacket from competitions, but it seemed to fit Yuuri well. All except for the sleeves. They seemed a little bit too long for Yuuri’s arms, but that just made him look… adorable. 

Yuuri smiled brightly, bouncing on his heels. “Can we go now? I wanna see you skate.”

“Yeah.” Victor was finding more and more just how contagious that smile was, offering Yuuri his hand. “Yeah, let’s go.”

* * *

 

Although Victor had only known Yuuri for an evening, he had already learned a lot about the strange star boy. Yuuri was confident, or at least, he carried himself with confidence, stepping into a room and having such a commanding feeling to his presence. He turned heads effortlessly and seemed to enjoy the attention whenever he did.

Yuuri was smart. A lot smarter than he seemed at first glance. He didn’t understand much about what it meant to be human, that much was clear. He was still learning about the basic things that humans had in their homes, and looked at them as though they were the most incredible trinkets in existence. But Yuuri had another kind of wisdom. He was good at reading how Victor felt. He seemed to be able to tell when to push things and when to let them go. Maybe it had something to do with auras. Maybe they changed with your mood. Victor didn’t know. He wasn’t a very spiritual person. 

For all Yuuri’s confidence and outgoing nature the night before, he was like a completely different person as they made their way into the rink. Victor held open the door for Yuuri, gesturing for him to head inside, but he didn’t. He stayed exactly where he was at Victor’s side, staring into the building like he’d seen a ghost. Makkachin had already bounded inside, excited for another day with the Russian skaters, but Yuuri wasn’t budging. 

Victor frowned, his hand brushing against Yuuri’s arm and gently gripping his wrist. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re the only human I’ve ever met.” Yuuri’s gaze was fixed on Victor’s hand holding his wrist, “You’re so nice, but… that doesn’t mean all humans are.”

“Yuuri…”

“I’ve seen humans do so many horrible things to each other over the centuries. I’ve sat up in the sky and watched them tear each other apart, but I’ve always wanted to believe that humans aren’t really like that.” Yuuri looked up at Victor, soft brown eyes shimmering, concern obvious. “I’m scared I’ll find out that I was wrong.”

Victor couldn’t begin to imagine what Yuuri had seen. He didn’t know how anyone could watch humanity for so long and still retain faith in it. Yuuri was special, an optimist, someone who wanted so desperately to believe in the good within people even when they had given him no reason to. Victor was sure he would’ve grown cynical long before they’d ever met if their positions were reversed. 

Moving his hands to Yuuri’s shoulders, he made sure Yuuri was looking into his eyes before he spoke. “I’m nice.”

The small smile that grew on Yuuri’s face was utterly charming. “Yeah. I just said that.”

“So, there’s no reason that they won’t be. I know that there are bad people in the world, Yuuri. That’s not new information, but there are good people, too. If you hide away, you’ll never get to meet them. And that would suck.”

“Is that your way of saying you’re glad we met?” Yuuri smirked, tilting his head to the side like a puppy.

“I…” Victor chuckled nervously, raking a hand through Yuuri’s hair and watching as more glittery stardust fluttered into the air.  “I’m relying on you. You’re here to change my life. I’m trusting you to do that. So, I need you to trust me now when I tell you that the people in here are… genuinely a little terrifying, but very good people. They’re like family.”

Yuuri nodded hesitantly, reaching for Victor’s hand and sandwiching it between his sleeve covered ones. “Okay. I trust you.”

Victor knew it was probably the worst idea in the history of bad ideas to walk into that rink with Yuuri holding his hand like that. Yuri would react badly. Georgi would jump to conclusions, conclusions that Mila would only encourage. And Victor didn’t even want to think about how Yakov would react. This was a truly terrible idea, but Victor wasn’t going to force Yuuri to walk into that place feeling like he didn’t have any support. 

The first thing Victor saw as they made their way inside was Mila on her knees, rubbing behind Makkachin’s ears and cooing happily. At least there were some things that didn’t change. Makkachin looked back at them, barking excitedly. The attention that had been on Makkachin was soon on Victor and Yuuri- Mila looked at them curiously, her fingers remaining tangled in Makkachin’s curly fur. 

“Makka!” Yuuri squeaked, glaring in the poodle’s direction. He wrapped his arms tightly around Victor’s, pressing himself into Victor’s side as if maybe it would be enough to render himself invisible. Incredibly, it did not work. 

“Who’s this then?” Mila smirked, getting to her feet, “You’ve never brought anyone to practice before. Wait, you did clear it with Yakov, right?” The look on Victor’s face seemed to be enough to tell her that no, he hadn’t even spoken to Yakov yet. She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck, “You know what he’s like with strangers watching practice, Victor.”

“I know!” Victor sighed, wrapping an arm around Yuuri’s waist. He could actually feel Yuuri shaking. It was such a contrast of the man Victor had met the night before, a side of him Victor never thought he’d see. It was sweet, adorable really, but Victor was determined to get Yuuri to relax and enjoy meeting other people. “Yuuri stopped into town unexpectedly and I couldn’t just leave him in the apartment all by himself.”

“Yuuri?” Mila looked over Yuuri carefully, glancing back at Victor. “You’ve never mentioned a Yuuri before.”

“I haven’t?” Victor feigned surprise, gently squeezing Yuuri’s hip. “I’m sure I have. Yuuri. An old friend I met when we went to Japan a few years back. For the Grand Prix. You sure you don’t remember?”

“Victor, you have never mentioned a Yuuri before. I’d remember since we have one of our own,” she pointed out.

“He probably forgot.” Yuuri kept his voice quiet, afraid to take the spotlight. 

Mila laughed. “You’re right, that does sound like Victor.” She wrapped an arm around Yuuri’s shoulders. “Come on, then. We’ll get you comfortable while Victor breaks the news to Yakov.”

Yuuri remained stiff at Victor’s side, looking up at him with fear in his eyes. He could tell Yuuri that Mila was a good person, but Victor had said it plenty of times before. Instead, he chose a different approach, watching Yuuri closely as he spoke, “What colour is her aura?”

Yuuri looked back at Mila for barely a moment, and then said, “...Orange.”

“Is that good?”

Yuuri smiled shyly, nodding hesitantly, “She’s… energetic. And creative.”

“Whoa, you can read auras?” Mila pulled Yuuri away, heading towards the locker room with him in tow, “Tell me more about how wonderful and creative I am.”

Victor smiled fondly as he watched them, seeing Makkachin bouncing behind them. Yuuri was obviously scared, but it would get easier. Yuuri seemed so interested in humans the night before, picking out everything he saw, getting excited over the simplest of things. Yet, he seemed so afraid to interact with them. 

Victor knew if Yuuri wanted to get the full human experience, he was going to have to get over that. Then again, he wasn’t sure why it mattered to him in the first place. Yuuri was only there to find him love. Once that was done, Yuuri would return to the sky. Anything he’d learned during his time in human form wouldn’t really matter anymore. 

But that wasn’t what it was about. Victor just liked how Yuuri smiled when he was excited. It was like Victor had shown him a room full of puppies. It made his chest feel warm and had Victor smiling, too.

At first, talking Yakov into letting Yuuri stay seemed impossible. Yakov only got more and more frustrated as Victor begged. He considered getting on his knees, but then he was sure that would only serve to send that vein in Yakov’s temple bulging even further. No matter what Victor had said to try to convince him, Yakov had remained tense, jaw clenched as he attempted to turn Victor down as fairly as he could.  _ They needed to concentrate on skating. Having someone watching them when they were still getting their programs perfected would not help. Not now. Now was a bad time. _

Yakov had relented to let Yuuri watch them. In the future. Not now. Maybe in a few months, he’d said. But Victor couldn’t wait that long. Yuuri was already there and he wasn’t about to tell Yuuri to go home.

If Victor wasn’t going to tell him, then Yakov would. Victor hadn’t realised that until it was too late, rushing after Yakov and begging him to be easy on Yuuri. The last thing he needed was for Yuuri’s fear of people to be solidified. But Yakov had made his mind up, heading to the locker room and only stopping when he caught sight of Yuuri sitting with Georgi, engrossed in conversation.

“There’s some part of you when you’re heartbroken that wants to hurt the other person, isn’t there?” Georgi watched Yuuri closely, waiting with bated breath for his response.

“I think that’s a human thing.” Yuuri shrugged, looking down at the sleeves covering his hands and picking at them nervously. “I can’t feel for a character who wants to hurt someone else, even if they’re heartbroken. I think… I think that if you love someone, no matter how badly they hurt you, you let them go. ‘Cause if you really love them, you just want them to be happy. Even if that means being happy without you.”

Georgi stared at Yuuri in awe. “So… you think my character’s motivation should be something else?”

“No.” Yuuri shook his head. “I just think you should look at it a different way. If you’re skating about heartbreak, then the people watching should feel sorry for your character. They shouldn’t watch you turn into a monster. How can they feel for you if you’re lashing out at the people around you?”

“Some people would disagree with that,” Victor chimed in, alerting them to their presence. 

“I know,” Yuuri smiled. “But he asked for  _ my _ opinion. And my opinion is that he should be skating about loss. Not revenge.”

Victor wasn’t sure if Yuuri was simply trying to maintain a positive view of humans, to avoid the thought of them as creatures that lash out at each other when they’re hurt. Or maybe that really was how Yuuri felt about love. Let the one you love go. Let them be happy, even if it tore you apart inside. It was a painful thought. Victor wasn’t sure he could be strong enough to do something like that.

“Look, Yuuri. I um, I talked to Yakov, and--”

“He stays,” Yakov interrupted.

“What? But you said…”

“Quiet, Vitya!” Yakov glared in Victor’s direction. “Shouldn’t you be on the ice? We have some catching up to do.”

Victor sighed, defeated. The sound of Yuuri’s giggle was only a little endearing as he set to work putting on his skates, preparing for another day on the ice. It wasn’t a bad thing. Victor loved to skate. He loved being out on the ice, feeling like nothing mattered but his steps, his jumps, sharing the story of his program with the world. He loved to entertain them, and he worked hard to be the best at what he did. He took pride in it. 

Still, Victor couldn’t shake the nerves. It was like stepping on the ice for the first time. Everyone in the world had watched him before. He’d skated at the Olympics, won a handful of awards. He was the leader in men’s figure skating. But no matter how many people had watched him skate,  _ Yuuri _ hadn’t. Or at least, Yuuri hadn’t seen it up close. Victor had never been aware of Yuuri watching him before. Something about that had his heart racing, fearing what would happen if Yuuri saw him fail. 

As it turned out, Yuuri was just excited to see the skating at all. He watched in awe as Georgi and Mila simply skated in circles around the rink to warm themselves up as if it were the most impressive thing he’d ever seen. Surely if Yuuri was that excited about something so simple, it meant a little mistake here and there would seem like nothing when Victor really tried. It was reassuring. Yuuri’s expectations were low, simply enjoying seeing something through the eyes of a human, or at least as human as he could get. 

Training didn’t go as badly that day as it had the previous. Victor still made a few mistakes. His step sequence needed a little work, and there were a few tumbles as he attempted jumps, but they weren’t the same as the day before. The falls weren’t brought on by his lack of focus. He was fully present, focusing on the right routine as he moved through it, trying to perfect it. Any falls were kinks in the program that he needed to work through, things he needed to learn to do just right in order to perfect it and have the perfect program for the next competition. 

The first fall of the day had spiked his heart rate, left him afraid- not of what Yakov would think, or any of the others for that matter. No, he was scared of Yuuri’s reaction, scared Yuuri would think his shortcomings would make him even more difficult to work with. People liked having a successful partner. Maybe failing would show Yuuri that he was even more of a lost cause. 

Despite all his fears, though, Victor looked up and saw Yuuri laughing…  Laughing, and clapping excitedly. Yuuri declared that Victor would get it next time, and even when he didn’t, Yuuri simply giggled and corrected himself, assuring that it was definitely the next one.

It was a long day. A very long day. When Yuri arrived, he seemed nothing short of disgusted at the presence of Yuuri right up until Yuuri was cheering him on, rambling about how impressive Yuri’s jumps were. Suddenly, Yuri didn’t seem to mind the presence of a stranger. Victor didn’t know why he was surprised. Yuuri was trying to find Victor love, of course he had absolutely no problem winning people over.

“So, what did you think?” Victor asked curiously as they began the trek home that evening, stars already beginning to fill the sky. 

Yuuri hummed happily as he walked in step with Victor. “I think there’s a reason you have all those gold medals.” There was something about it, something that filled Victor with a great sense of pride, a feeling almost as good as any medal. “There’s just… something that bothered me about it,” Yuuri added.

His heart sank. Somewhere, Victor had messed up. “What is it?”

“It’s not the skating,” Yuuri assured. “It’s just… you skate so beautifully, you’re so amazing, but… well, you look so sad. Why did you look so sad, Victor?”

The question took him off guard. He hadn’t even noticed. Victor had just been so focused on skating, trying to get the program just right, trying to convey the story within it. Maybe it was the story. The story of a man completely enamoured with a stranger, willing to give himself to them entirely. He was supposed to find himself hanging on this stranger’s every word, rushing after them and giving them everything they desired in the hopes of them returning his affection. It wasn’t something Victor had ever truly felt before. He didn’t know how to convey it well. And when he thought about that, it did sting just a little. Maybe his lack of empathy for the character simply led to his own sadness even when he didn’t realise it. But Yuuri realised it. Yuuri always noticed the little things. 

“You know, I have this exhibition that I skate with Mila. It’s about this guy who is so desperate to find love that he lets this woman walk all over him, use him and grind him into the dust, just because he’s so afraid of being alone.” Victor smiled sadly, watching the ground ahead of him as he spoke, “But the sad thing is, once she uses him up, she leaves. She has no need for him anymore. He ends up alone, anyway.” 

“So he’s you,” Yuuri replied simply.

Victor stopped walking. “...What?”

“You’re looking for love. You’re desperate enough that you wished on me. But don’t worry, Victor. I won’t find you some girl who uses you and then leaves,” Yuuri promised.  “That’s not love.”

Victor smiled fondly. “Thanks. I guess that’s comforting.”

“Well, there’s one thing I do know for sure.”

“Hm?” Victor looked up at Yuuri, seeing a glint of mischief in those dark eyes.

“I’m gonna beat you home!” Yuuri was already laughing, rushing ahead with Makkachin in tow. Victor wouldn’t have bought into it any other time. He was sure he wouldn’t. But Yuuri was so effortlessly cheerful, and his excitement was contagious. Victor could only imagine how disappointed Yuuri would be if he didn’t try to win this impromptu race. So, run he did. He ran as fast as he could, never quite able to catch up to Yuuri, though he did manage to remain close enough to hear his pretty laughter and his teasing remarks as they got closer and closer to the apartment.

Yuuri held his arms up in the air as though he were passing through the ribbon at a marathon, “I win!”

“No!” Victor laughed breathlessly, stopping at Yuuri’s side and leaning on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, “Nuh-uh, no way. You cheated.”

“I did  _ not _ . It’s not my fault you can’t keep up,” Yuuri teased. “And you can’t use today’s training as an excuse to be tired, you’re an athlete!”

“Well, technically,” Victor held the door open for Yuuri as they headed into the building and up to Victor’s apartment, “Makkachin won. Not you.”

“Yeah, but she was on Team Yuuri. Weren’t you?” He knelt at Makkachin’s side, laughing as the poodle jumped up excitedly, licking at Yuuri’s face.

“How is that fair? There’s two of you and one of me,” Victor pouted.

“I don’t make the rules.” Yuuri giggled. “No one likes a sore loser, Victor. What am I meant to do, find you someone you’ll never lose to?”

Victor scrunched up his nose as the elevator door opened, walking out onto his floor. “That sounds really boring.”

“Good, ‘cause it’s actually a little cute.” Yuuri grinned, a bounce in his step as Victor unlocked the door for them. 

He didn’t know what he’d expected, really. Yuuri was full of surprises and compliments, and it was truly difficult to keep up with him. But he was interesting and fun. Victor couldn’t deny the last twenty four hours had been the most enjoyable hours of his life for as long as he could remember. That was either a testament to how much fun Yuuri was to be around or telling of how incredibly dull Victor’s life actually was.

Dropping his keys onto the table, Victor sighed. “So, what’s the plan, matchmaker?”

“I’m glad you asked!” Yuuri walked over, slipping the phone from Victor’s pocket.

“Hey!”

“I was thinking, a lot of times, love will start with friendship. So, I thought maybe we could look through some of your friends. Maybe they could actually be a good match for you.” Yuuri hummed softly, scrolling through the photos. He landed on a picture of Chris for barely a moment before he was scrolling away and saying, “He’s all wrong for you.” 

Victor smirked as he watched, hearing Yuuri quickly shoot down one after another, quickly saying that either they weren’t Victor’s type, or that it wouldn’t last more than a few months. Victor wasn’t entirely sure how Yuuri could be so certain, but he was willing to believe it. Believing it seemed like a better idea than taking a risk and ruining a friendship, at least.

“Ooh!” Yuuri held the phone up to Victor. “He’s cute! What about him?”

Victor raised an eyebrow as he was shown a picture of one of his fellow competitors. Victor had actually only met him once, and the picture had been taken as more of a formality than anything else, a way to break the ice. But that in itself wasn’t his issue with the potential pairing. Victor cleared his throat, pointing to the brown haired boy in the picture, and said “That’s Guang Hong. He’s seventeen. I’m almost twice his age, Yuuri.”

“Oh, right.” Yuuri grumbled as he scrolled through more photos, muttering under his breath, “Humans and age differences…”

The night went on just the same, Yuuri going through everyone Victor had ever met, picking out the few who could be potential partners, and Victor pointed out why it would never work. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to believe in Yuuri’s idea of the perfect partner. It was just that well… Victor knew those people. As much as an aura gave Yuuri some insight into who they were, it was nothing compared to being their friend, and Victor knew that no matter how compatible their auras were, it would never work out with any of them.

* * *

 

Victor wasn’t sure how long they’d stayed up that night. Somewhere along the way, he’d grown tired of turning down friend after friend, taking a shower and heading to bed. Yuuri hadn’t pushed him, and Victor slept soundly through the night. His muscles ached just a little the next day, still tender from the training, from the falls. No doubt he’d be covered in bruises. It was worth it, though. Victor would never claim otherwise.

Stepping out of the bedroom, Victor was met with a surprising sight. Instead of the couch, Yuuri was this time fast asleep at the kitchen table, Victor’s laptop sat in front of him. Victor carefully moved closer, closer until he was standing over Yuuri, brushing his finger along the touchpad. The screen lit up and Victor was met with… a dating profile. Not just any dating profile, his  _ own _ dating profile. Victor had never signed up for a dating site in his life, but there Yuuri was, doing it for him. He’d gone the full mile, writing a sweet little biography about how Victor was a hard worker, someone who absolutely adored his career, but was looking for someone to take care of, someone to cherish. Yuuri had written a better profile than Victor ever could’ve. There was just one little problem.

“Yuuri.” Victor gently shook Yuuri’s shoulder, “Yuuri, wake up.”

“Mm what?” Yuuri mumbled sleepily, covering his face with his arm.

“I can’t have a dating profile, Yuuri.” 

It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the sentiment. It was simply that Victor was a little too high profile for a dating site. The moment someone realised he was on there, news would get out, people would flock to find  _ the _ Victor Nikiforov’s dating profile, and every potential match he’d find would be compromised, because it’d be near impossible to weed out the genuine interest from the fans desperate to meet him for just one moment.

Yuuri whined, looking up at Victor with a pout, eyes half-lidded, “But Victoooor...”

He nearly caved, the sight of Yuuri first thing in the morning, hair a mess, eyes barely open enough to make even the strongest of men give into temptation, but Victor knew this one rule had to stay, that it was for the best that things remain this way. Victor ran a hand through Yuuri’s hair, earning a hum of approval as his head lulled back to the table, clearly ready for more sleep, and said, “No dating sites.”

Yuuri grumbled, muffling a yawn against his sleeve. “Fine. Just let me sleep.”

Victor had barely stepped away before he heard the sound of Yuuri’s breath evening out, the lightest of snores filling the air.  _ Definitely _ too cute to be human. 


	5. Gemini

 

The days went by slowly, more and more training leading to less and less time with Yuuri. Yuuri was beginning to seem nervous. He would insist that they couldn’t keep waiting, that they needed to find Victor’s love as soon as possible.

Victor didn’t understand the rush. Love wasn’t something that could be rushed, was it? It would take time to find someone, and even more time to fall in love with them. And that was only if Yuuri managed to get it right on the first try. The rush seemed pointless, no matter how badly Victor did want to find love. Besides, Victor knew that once his job was done, Yuuri would go back to the sky and that would be the last they’d see of each other. It was hard to feel enthusiastic about _that_.

Couldn’t Victor find the love of his life and not lose Yuuri? He’d become such a good friend, someone Victor felt more comfortable with than anyone else. A week didn’t seem like a long time, but it had been filled with joys that Victor had never really felt before. There wasn’t much time for him to do anything beyond skating, but that was okay.

Victor had gotten Yuuri his own clothes. He’d spent his spare time with Yuuri; talking, smiling, laughing. There had been a couple of nights where Yuuri had laid on the bed beside him and they talked into the early hours of the morning. Victor had woken on one of those occasions with Yuuri pressed against his side, gently gripping the front of Victor’s shirt as he slept. Victor had been afraid to get up on those mornings, afraid to break the mesmerising spell Yuuri seemed to have over him.

The point was that they were happy. Victor was happy. Happier than he’d been in a really long time- and that all came down to having a friend that he could bare his soul to. Victor knew that was something he would get to do with the person he fell in love with, but no matter how desperately he wanted that, he was afraid of never seeing Yuuri again. Yuuri had become a comforting part of everyday life.

“Victor! Come on, we have so much to see!”

Victor’s arm was being tugged roughly as he was pulled along the sidewalk. It was the first time he’d had a day off since Yuuri had arrived, and Victor was being taken all around the city. There wasn’t anything Yuuri wanted to miss. The world was beautiful, that was what Yuuri had said. They had to go out, breathe it in, touch it, taste it. And maybe along the way, they would find someone that just might be everything Victor had been searching for.

But first, the Field of Mars. Yuuri wanted to see the Field of Mars.

As they stepped inside, the first thing that seemed to strike Yuuri was the paths. So many different paths going in so many different directions. Yuuri frowned, seeming to be in deep concentration as he looked down each path, trying to decide which direction would be the best way to go first. The way his brows furrowed together, Victor smiled to himself. If he left Yuuri to decide, there was no telling how long it would take for him to decide, and no matter how much Victor was enjoying it, Yuuri would run out of time for all the sights he wanted to see. And that simply wouldn’t do.

Taking Yuuri’s hand, Victor tugged him towards the path on their left, spotting the beaming smile he received from the corner of his eye. Yuuri was practically skipping as he walked alongside Victor, looking around them curiously. “So, is this a guided tour with like, fun facts about this place, or are you going to be boring and just follow me around?”

“My company’s not good enough for you?” Victor teased. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to bore you with the details.”

Yuuri whined as they stopped at a fork in the road. This time, the path split off in three directions. “Why do they have to go so many different ways?”

Victor rested a hand at the small of Yuuri’s back, pushing him towards the middle path. “To confuse vulnerable stars.”

“Mission accomplished,” Yuuri pouted.

The path was formed from sandy dirt, the grass in the fields a vibrant green in contrast. Yuuri seemed so at ease when he was surrounded by nature, humming happily to himself as they slowly walked side by side. Victor had never really known what a comfortable silence was before Yuuri came along. Silence always felt deafening, scary. It made Victor feel like he was expected to say something, but with Yuuri, he knew he didn’t have to say a word. He knew that Yuuri would tell him if he wanted him to talk.

Yuuri poked Victor’s side. “Will you please tell me everything you know about this place?”

Victor had to go through what little he did know. School hadn’t exactly been the most important thing to him, it was hard to remember things like this, things that at the time, he didn’t care about. Suddenly, he wished he’d paid more attention. “Well… this is the Field of Mars, named after the Roman god of war.”

That was easy enough for him to remember, something that they were constantly drilling home. The field had been home to many sights over the decades, from the setting of real war, to a humble abode for gardens of beautiful flowers. It had seen its fair share and had changed its name so many times. Victor didn’t know that any of that information would actually be interesting to Yuuri, though.

“Oh.” Yuuri frowned, shoulders tensing. As they stepped passed some tall bushes and into a circular pathway, Yuuri looked back at Victor, his fingers brushing along the nearby leaves. “More fighting?”

It hadn’t even crossed Victor’s mind until that moment, until Yuuri said it.

Yuuri hated war. He hated fighting, and violence, and anything that painted humans as what they were capable of becoming beneath the surface. Cruel. Dangerous. Yuuri wanted to believe there was good in everyone. He wanted to believe that though humans were capable of so many terrible things, that they would resist, that they were better. Of course he didn’t want to hear about a place that had been the setting of war, even if it marked the end of one. Yuuri would’ve preferred the wars had never happened in the first place.

Victor smiled apologetically as they stopped, the circular path harbouring a tall tree at its center, “I know it sounds bad, but this place is about life. That’s why there’s all these flowers and trees.”

“Because… the fighting… made it so other people could live?” Yuuri sounded sceptical as he stepped closer to the tree, admiring its branches. “Why can’t humans just talk about their problems? You’re all the same; flesh and blood.”

Victor sighed, stepping closer. He gently ruffled Yuuri’s hair, smiling when he felt Yuuri lean into the touch. “Because no matter how much we want to believe in people, there are some who just don’t want to talk things out. Sometimes, there are people who just want to fight.”

“Does it always have to end in pain for you?” Yuuri whispered, resting his head against Victor’s shoulder.

The sorrow in his voice sank deep into Victor’s heart like an anchor in the ocean, weighing him down, filling him with the intense desire to protect, to shield Yuuri from the pain of the world. Victor wrapped an arm around Yuuri’s waist, keeping his voice gentle, and said, “No. I think the pain makes all the good things even more special.”

Yuuri looked up at Victor, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Like how you were hurting, so I came here to help you?”

Yes. A million times, yes. Victor’s life had never felt so full. He chuckled, pushing Yuuri away from him playfully. “You think pretty highly of yourself, huh?”

“I’m the best thing that ever happened to you.” Yuuri giggled to himself, and then asked, “Which path do we take from here?”

The circular area had six total paths from it, and Victor could certainly understand Yuuri’s confusion. There were so many options, and he couldn’t be sure which would be the correct, but Victor knew enough that most of the paths would only take them to the edge of the field. Instead, Victor pointed Yuuri towards one of the paths that headed towards the center. “This way.”

Yuuri seemed to be in higher spirits, humming to himself as he brushed his fingers over flower petals, taking in everything around him. There were moments when he would stop, stare at someone, and then continue all over again. Victor supposed it was part of the method. Yuuri would look at them, would see their aura and decide if it was a close enough match to Victor’s. Of course, Victor wasn’t so sure he believed in it. Not the auras themselves, but their weight in matchmaking. Two people could fall in love no matter the circumstance. They could be complete opposites and still find each other. But Victor didn’t want to question it. Questioning it would mean admitting that there was a chance Yuuri wouldn’t be able to find someone for him. That there was a chance Victor would end up alone.

As they reached the center of the field, Yuuri was still admiring the flowers, pausing when he saw what appeared to be a plaque on the ground amidst them. He knelt beside it, tilting his head to the side as he tried and failed to read the Cyrillic letters. “Victor? What’s this say?”

Victor chewed his lip, looking back to the entrance to the field, silently wishing for a way to get out, a way to not have to answer that question. Answering that question would mean taking away that smile. Victor never ever wanted to be the one to take away Yuuri’s smile. “Maybe we should get going, Yuuri,” he suggested.  “There were more places you wanted to see, right?”

“What’s it say, Victor?” Yuuri insisted, reaching out and tugging gently on his hand. “I’ve been around a lot longer than you, I can handle it.”

Victor sighed, eyes trained on the ground as he spoke. “It’s… it’s a grave. To the ‘fighters of revolution’.”

Yuuri frowned as he stared at the grave, his expression indecipherable. There were a few things Victor regretted in his life, but none of them could possibly compare to the regret he felt at that moment. They shouldn’t have gone there. He should’ve known this place would only upset Yuuri.

Yuuri brushed a hand along the plaque, letting out a heavy sigh as he got to his feet. “Can we go somewhere else now?”

Victor wanted to show Yuuri something beautiful, something that would restore that faith in humanity. He’d always made it clear how much he loved humans, how he wanted to see them be the best that they could. So, Victor was determined to show him the other side. There were plenty of cruel people in the world, plenty of terrible things that had happened in the past, but he could show Yuuri that humans were capable of creating beautiful things, too.

As they walked along the streets of Russia, Yuuri remained quiet, walking slowly at Victor’s side and staring at the ground. It was a complete change from the usual bubbly energy Victor had grown so accustomed to. He didn’t like it. Yuuri was meant to be the cheerful one, the one that pushed Victor to do things he would never normally do. Yuuri was meant to be forever smiling.

Gently nudging their shoulders together, Victor smiled to himself as he caught sight of their next destination. “You’re gonna like this one. No sadness this time, I promise.”

“You sure? Seems like that’s all humans have had to offer,” Yuuri grumbled, gently kicking at a stone.

“Hey.” Victor stopped in his tracks, reaching for Yuuri and pulling him close. Resting a hand on Yuuri’s shoulder, he tilted his head as he looked into his eyes, genuine concern filling his voice. “Is that all I’ve offered you?”

Yuuri stared at Victor for a long moment, gaze fixed on Victor. And then Yuuri did something Victor didn’t expect; he blushed. His lips curled into a shy smile, looking away as the blush spread across his cheeks. “Of course not, Victor. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you think that…”

Victor gestured to a nearby building. “Well, we’re here. Hopefully, this will cheer you up.”

“What is it?”

From the outside, the building didn’t look nearly as extravagant as some of the other tourist locations in the city. But that didn’t matter. Victor knew the interior would be enough to leave Yuuri speechless. It certainly had that effect the first time he’d been inside. Victor didn’t say anything at first, simply ushering Yuuri inside. Within the entrance, they were met with a room right out of a royal palace. Marble pillars, a red carpet donning the main staircase. The balustrade was comprised of an adornment of floral patterns painted black and gold with a wooden railing above.

Yuuri gasped, rushing forward and running a hand over the balustrade patterns. “Is this real gold? What is this place?”

“This is Faberge Museum. I thought since you’ve been shown all the ways humans destroy things, maybe you’d like to see some of the things we create.” Victor stepped closer, gesturing to the ceiling. “Look up.”

Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, a rounded dome in the center filled with intricate patterns of gold etched into what appeared to be ever more marble. Yuuri’s face lit up, getting to his feet and tugging Victor into a tight hug. “This is so beautiful. Thank you, Victor.”

Victor chuckled as Yuuri buried his face in his neck. He ran his fingers gently through Yuuri’s hair, watching as the flecks of stardust glittered in the light. He’d never get tired of seeing that, a constant reminder that Yuuri was so much more than he appeared to be. “You haven’t even seen anything yet.”

Yuuri gently gripped the back of Victor’s shirt, his voice quiet. “You should be taking a date to a place like this. Not me.”

The words hung heavy in a way Victor hadn’t expected. It was true. He probably should’ve been putting this kind of effort into a date with someone who was actually interested in him romantically, but Victor didn’t have anyone. There was nobody for him to pamper, and even if there was, _Yuuri_ was the one he wanted to spend his time with. Victor pushed those thoughts back, instead saying what he was sure Yuuri would want to hear. “Well, hopefully you’ll find me someone soon. Then I’ll think about dates.”

Yuuri’s laugh was abrupt and just as quickly as he had been holding Victor close, he was rushing ahead up the stairs, calling for Victor to hurry up. He wanted to see everything this beautiful building had to offer. There were so many displays in so many rooms. The inside itself looked like a palace, golden leaf on walls, dark wood trimmings on the doors, red velvet ropes around glass cases to keep the treasures within safe. Other rooms had rich red walls with patterns of white and gold to accentuate it.

Time seemed to stand still while they were inside, Yuuri staring at everything for far longer than necessary. He wanted to memorise every little detail, gasping and clinging to Victor’s arm as something else caught his eye, something that Victor absolutely had to look at, too. It was like chauffeuring a child. A very big, very adorable child. It seemed to do the trick, though. The sadness that had seeped into Yuuri’s features early in the day had been chased away, replaced with excitement and wonder.

It was already evening by the time they left, the chill of mid march setting in. Though the snow from Christmas time had died down, there was still a thin sheet of white on the paths. Yuuri shivered, pressing himself closer to Victor for warmth. It hadn’t occurred to him that Yuuri might be chilly. He was so used to the cold weather in Russia. He smiled fondly as he wrapped an arm around Yuuri’s shoulders, guiding him towards the evening marketplace nearby.

The last stop for Yuuri’s first day as a tourist, it seemed fitting. He could see humans in all their glory, shopping and selling, taking pride in their wares. The hustle and bustle seemed perfect for Yuuri’s temperament, too. But first, he had to do something about how cold Yuuri was.

Looking through the stalls that had been set up, Victor spotted one filled with an assortment of knitted garments. Perfect. He took Yuuri by the hand, pulling him along until he was standing before it, humming to himself and carefully scrutinizing the items until he finally decided on what he wanted. First, a beanie. He plucked one from the stall, placing it on Yuuri’s head with a fond smile. The way dark tufts of Yuuri’s hair stuck out from beneath it was simply too sweet for him to resist. That beanie was definitely a good choice.

It still didn’t seem to be enough. Victor wanted Yuuri warm. Could stars catch colds? Anything was possible, or so Victor had been learning more and more since Yuuri’s arrival in his life. Plucking a scarf from the stall, he carefully wrapped it around Yuuri’s neck, smiling fondly as he hid his face within its warmth, staring up at Victor through dark lashes. Stars were beautiful, even in human form.

Satisfied with his choices, Victor dropped some money into the vendor’s hand before gesturing to the stalls around him. “Take a look around. Maybe you’ll see something you like.”

Yuuri seemed uncertain at first. Maybe because there were a lot more people in that place than there had been any of the other places they’d visited that day. Maybe because he didn’t want Victor to buy him more things. Or maybe Yuuri just wasn’t sure if he was going to make the right choices. There weren’t any right choices, though. Victor simply wanted to see Yuuri enjoying himself. It almost felt like his duty. Yuuri was a star among humans, possibly the first star to ever drop down from the sky and walk among them. It was his job to show Yuuri how wonderful they could be.

Yuuri moved from stall to stall, staring in awe at different items, but never quite sticking to one place for long enough to buy anything. Victor trailed along in the distance, giving Yuuri space to travel his own path. There was no reason for him to push Yuuri in any directions. He wanted to see where his heart would take him.

“Victor!”

The mug in his hand had carefully painted poodles on it, and Victor had been tempted to get it right up until he heard Yuuri calling for him from a stall across the way. Placing the mug back down, Victor raised an eyebrow as he made his way to Yuuri’s side. “Find something?”

Find something, he had. In Yuuri’s hand was a simple gold band. A ring. There were no engravings on it, nothing to make it particularly special, though it did have a brilliant shine. Yuuri held it close to his face, inspecting it. “It’s so pretty.”

Victor smirked, and said, “You really do like gold, huh?”

“I love it.” Yuuri hummed happily, turning the simple band in his fingers. “Can I get it? Please?”

It was like a child asking for a toy. Yuuri had his heart set on that ring, and Victor couldn’t find it in him to say no. If the price was anything to go by, the gold was real, a surprising dent in his wallet, but it was worth it to see Yuuri’s eyes light up, his smile beaming as he slid the ring onto his finger.

“Don’t lose it,” Victor warned.

“I’ll never take it off,” Yuuri promised, a skip in his step for the remainder of the evening.

As the evening drew to a close, Victor eventually had no choice but to drag Yuuri away from the stalls. They would be closing soon. Victor hadn’t stayed up so long in such a long time, he wasn’t sure how he was still on his feet, but he had Yuuri at his side, smiling as though he’d been gifted the most precious treasure in the galaxy as he stared in awe at the ring on his finger.

Yuuri was quiet as they walked back towards Victor’s apartment, but this time for another reason. Where the silence between them before had been tense and awkward, this one felt natural and easy. Being with Yuuri was easy. It had been from the moment he arrived. Victor looked up at the sky, seeing the stars twinkling down at him like tiny fireflies, and wondered if they were watching him. He wondered if Yuuri had family up there, if he missed them while he was stuck on Earth. Of course, he probably did. Yuuri just wanted to find Victor someone to love and get back home. That was why he was rushing Victor to start searching. That’s what their day of exploration was supposed to be for. Except, Yuuri hadn’t actually pointed a single soul out to him in all that time.

Victor frowned as he thought about it, “Yuuri, were you actually looking at potential dates for me today, or was this all just a fun day out?”

Yuuri’s cheeks were red as he chewed his lower lip, “I was looking!” he defended. “I just… didn’t find anyone who would suit your needs.”

“My needs?” Victor raised an eyebrow at that, “What needs would those be?”

Yuuri shrugged, “Someone who can appreciate your terrible choices in dating venues.”

“You loved the museum!”

“I didn’t love the field!” Yuuri countered, a smirk playing on his lips.

“That…” Victor trailed off, sighing defeatedly, “That was stupid. You’re right.”

“You made up for it.” Yuuri shrugged, gently bumping their shoulders together, “I’m sure you’d be able to take someone on the perfect date if you’re really trying.”

They made it just one block away from Victor’s apartment building when Yuuri stopped. Up until that point, he’d simply been watching the ring on his finger or telling Victor about the kinds of auras he’d seen that day, why those people simply would not be a good fit for Victor’s personality. But suddenly, he wasn’t moving, he’d gone silent. Yuuri stared at a truck parked across the street. The truck was hard to miss, a logo on the side declaring it belonged to an animal shelter not too far from there.

“Yuuri?” Victor reached out, resting a hand on his shoulder, “Come on, we should get home to Makkachin.”

It seemed like yet another thing that could ruin Yuuri’s evening. Abandoned dogs. That was enough to kill anyone’s mood.

Yuuri didn’t budge, though. He stood perfectly still as he stared back at the truck. Victor could hear the dogs barking from within, though there didn’t appear to be anyone inside. Whoever it was that had parked the truck there must’ve been on the hunt for another stray. Before Victor could do anything, Yuuri was walking across the street, heading straight for the truck.

“Yuuri? What’re you doing?” Victor followed close behind him. He wanted desperately to take Yuuri’s hand and guide him away, to make whatever pain he was probably going through in his head disappear. What was he supposed to say about something like this? There really was no good way to spin it. Yuuri reached out, opening the back door on the truck.

“Yuuri!” Victor called again.

“Shh.” Yuuri pulled himself up into the back of the truck, slowly walking along a row of cages and taking in all the dogs that were locked up, ready to be taken to the shelter. But for how long? How long did shelters usually wait before they gave up on the dogs? Victor didn’t want to think about it. Kneeling beside a cage, Yuuri threaded his fingers through the bars and smiled as the dog licked tentatively at his skin, “Help me get them out.”

“What?” Victor frowned, “Yuuri, I can’t afford to adopt all these dogs.”

“You don’t have to.” Yuuri insisted, “We just have to let them out.”

Yuuri had come up with a lot of crazy things in the short time Victor had known him, but that truly took the cake. He sighed softly, raking a hand through his hair, “Yuuri, whoever parked the truck here is gonna be back soon.”

“They wished to be free.” Yuuri’s voice remained firm as he began to carefully unlock the cages one at a time. “I may be here for your wish but that doesn’t mean I’ll ignore theirs.”

Yuuri was quickly moving from cage to cage, unlatching them and opening them. It was probably wrong, probably stupid, but Victor knew why Yuuri was doing it. More than just the dogs making a wish to be free, it just felt like the right thing to do, to save them from the inevitable end that would come to them from a shelter. Victor couldn’t let his mind catch up. If it did, maybe he’d talk some sense into himself and stop the insanity. Instead, Victor was caving in, joining Yuuri as he opened each of the cages one by one until they were surrounded by dogs.

Yuuri knelt down among the dogs, his voice quiet. “You’re free now. Just stay away from the big trucks from now on, okay?”

Footsteps. Victor could hear them over Yuuri’s voice, the fear starting to bubble up inside him. If they were caught, who knows what was going to happen. As the panic began to set in, Victor reached for Yuuri’s hand, dragging him out of the truck and sprinting towards the apartment. Yuuri was grinning ear to ear, his excitement obvious as he laughed, warm steam billowing from his mouth with every breath in the chilly night air. Victor had done a lot of things in his life, but never anything quite so risky.

Yuuri’s laughter filled the quiet around them. He was beautiful. Victor couldn’t deny it. Chaotic and brilliant and so, so beautiful. When they reached the building, Victor leaned against the wall, catching his breath. A moment later, Yuuri was at his side, his giggles filling the quiet, filling Victor’s heart and making him feel warm inside.

“You’re insane.” Victor laughed, the adrenaline of the moment finally starting to fade from his system and he was left with the realisation of what they’d just done, “You’re actually crazy, you know that?”

“I’m fun.” Yuuri corrected, and Victor had never heard anything truer. His life had been chaotic since Yuuri’s arrival, but it was fun. It was freedom.

Victor paused as he spotted a fluffy tail behind Yuuri. And another. And another. It suddenly dawned on him that they were surrounded by dogs, that the strays had all followed them back to the building, and he said helplessly “Yuuri… I can’t have all these dogs.”

Yuuri seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, his next words equally sweet and infuriating. “You know, pets show how caring you are and that’s a huge turn on for some people.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter art was drawn by the amazing R Tengu. Please go check it out on [twitter](https://twitter.com/RTengusama/status/1112551423714172928) and [tumblr](https://rtengu.tumblr.com/post/183857664015/this-is-the-art-i-made-for-gabzjoness-starboy-au). Give them some love. It's so good!


	6. Aries

 

It took a few days for Victor to get rid of all the dogs Yuuri had liberated from doggy prison. It was simpler than he’d expected. Once word had gotten out that famous figure skater Victor Nikiforov was searching for new homes for abandoned dogs, people flocked to get their new pets. Yuuri had insisted they only give the dogs to people they wanted to go with, and that they be absolutely sure the people wanted the dogs and didn’t simply want them so that they could say they were given a pet from Victor Nikiforov. Anything to avoid the dogs ending up back on the streets. But even with those stipulations it hadn’t taken much time, and Yuuri had insisted that it was painting him in a good light. Whoever his partner to be was, they would see that Victor was a caring person who went out of his way to find homes for abandoned pooches. Who could resist something like that?

Everyone, apparently. Or at least, the people who could’ve been compatible with him. Days went by and Victor still had no one. Yuuri looked more anxious as the time passed, like he was trying his best to hide something, but Victor could see the walls beginning to crumble and reveal the truth. Whatever that truth was, Victor didn’t know. He only knew that he hated seeing Yuuri look so nervous. 

Victor was letting him down. It couldn’t be all on Yuuri, he had to make some effort, too. He had to be the kind of person people wanted to date for Yuuri’s sake. He’d just spent so much time on the ice, away from social interaction that it had become difficult to know exactly what that was.

That particular day, Yuuri had insisted Victor rest. He implored Victor to sleep in, to make sure he would be wide awake for the evening, declaring that it was  _ the day _ . The day Victor would finally find ‘the one.’ 

Victor was skeptical. It was hard not to be. Yuuri had been in his life for nearly a month, and there had been little to no signs of progress when it came to love. Yuuri had pointed out a few people here and there, but they were never the kinds of people Victor could see himself spending the rest of his life with. He’d talk to them. He’d try, but then they would say something so innocent, but it was enough to tell him that they would simply never work. One guy had seemed particularly promising right up until he’d declared how much he detested dogs. There were certain things Victor simply couldn’t tolerate, and a dog hater was one of them.

Victor couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept in. It had to have been in his childhood. Ever since his skating became competitive, it was always early mornings, straight to practice. He knew he could be a little lazier in the off season, but the routine had been ingrained in him. Victor simply didn’t know  _ how _ to sleep in. Instead, he simply laid in bed, staring at the ceiling as his mind ran through thought after thought. Victor wondered if Yuuri had grown tired of humans. He seemed so ready to go back to the sky, urging Victor to go out more, to talk to people, to find someone. Victor  _ did _ want to. It was all he’d wanted for such a long time; someone to love. Someone to fall asleep beside. Someone to laugh with, to hold in the dark times. Victor wanted so desperately to have someone who he could give himself to completely.

But he didn’t want Yuuri to leave.

He had run through the possibility in his mind that maybe he was sabotaging himself. Maybe he was finding flaws in the people Yuuri picked out simply because he wanted Yuuri to stay a little longer. It didn’t make sense, though. Love was something else, something on another level entirely. It was something Victor had thought about since he was a teenager, and dreamt of as he grew up, imagining the perfect person that he would give his heart to. Someone who would appreciate him for who he was, not what he did. 

He’d known Yuuri for little under a month. The two shouldn’t compare. Finding love should’ve been more important. But it wasn’t. How could it be? Yuuri was the sweetest, kindest person he’d ever met, even if he wasn’t exactly a person. It was almost like Yuuri himself was the personification of love, helping him search for it, finding it in others, in nature and the people around him. To lose Yuuri would be like losing love. But keeping him would mean never finding it.

Besides, Yuuri didn’t  _ want _ to stay.

When evening hit, Victor did manage to fall asleep on the couch, Makkachin splayed out on his stomach as she joined him. There was something playing on TV, but he hadn’t been paying any attention to it to begin with, instead listening to the sounds of Yuuri humming a song to himself, the same humming that had lulled him into dozing in the first place. It didn’t last, though. At some point in the late evening, Victor was roused by the feel of something poking his cheek. Again and again. His eyes fluttered open to the sight of Yuuri hovering over him, bright smile and rich brown eyes so close and  _ oh _ , that was a surprisingly nice sight to wake up to.

“Get dressed.” Yuuri brushed a hand through Victor’s hair as he moved around the couch. “We’re going out.”

“What?” Victor sat up, upsetting the poodle still sat in his lap. She huffed in her annoyance, dropping down from the couch and settling on the floor. “Where?”

“There’s a club nearby, I saw it the other day.” Yuuri shrugged. “Tonight is the night you meet your soulmate.”

* * *

 

Victor had never liked clubs. They were too loud. The music always seemed to be at an unbearable level, the bass pumping through his veins until his heart found some kind of synchronisation. Too  _ loud _ . Talking was difficult in a place like that. It wasn’t so much talking as it was shouting over the music, and even then, they’d be lucky if they ever heard each other. Not very conducive to meeting people.

There were too many people at clubs. Too many bodies pressed close together, sweaty from the heat they were sharing. If Victor wanted to be groped by a stranger, he could just go back to dance class. He’d been poked and prodded by plenty of people there, intent on getting him to stand in just the right way. And sure, there was the potential promise of a night fumbling in the bedsheets with someone when there were alcohol and loud music bringing them together, but Victor wasn’t looking for a night of passion. He was looking for  _ the one _ . Sure, sex sounded great and god, how long had it been since he’d last actually fallen into bed with someone? But, sex wasn’t enough. He wanted a commitment. 

Clubs didn’t exactly scream ‘commitment’.

Before they’d even made it inside, the music was audible, the bass thrumming through the building and seeping into Victor’s skin. There were so many reasons this was an absolutely terrible idea. “I don’t think I want to do this,” Victor said.

“Come on, please?” Yuuri gripped Victor by the wrist, tugging him closer. “Even if we don’t find anyone for you, this will be a new experience for me. I’ve never been to a place like this. Show me around.”

Victor rolled his eyes with a smile. “And how is that going to help me find a date?”

“I’ll be your wingman, come on!” Yuuri was already pulling him inside before he could protest further. The music was even louder once they were within the building, Yuuri gripping Victor’s arm tightly as he caught sight of just how many people there were. How had he not expected that? Victor had always thought that was one of the things everyone knew about clubs; you were going to be faced with a lot of people.

Yuuri carefully guided them through the people until they were standing at the bar. Yuuri was bubbling with his excitement, made ever more obvious by his glowing. Victor didn’t see it often, but it was something Yuuri still did, his skin giving off a light all of its own. Victor would’ve been concerned at any other time. Yuuri shouldn’t have been showing that side of himself so freely, but they were surrounded by people who were already too drunk to really pay any attention to it. Those who weren’t drunk seemed to simply think it was a special body paint made for the darkness of the club, something to make Yuuri stand out.

As the bartender made his way over, Victor offered a polite smile and asked, “Got anything without alcohol in it?” 

Victor didn’t mind a drink or two. There were always plenty of wines and champagnes on hand at the banquets he was forced to attend for the skating season, but he knew Yuuri hadn’t ever had alcohol before, and he wasn’t so sure that was a good idea. Alcohol was usually bitter after all, and Yuuri seemed to be a fan of all things sweet. They didn’t seem like they would mix. 

Yuuri was quick to protest, tugging at Victor’s arm, “No, I wanna try it.”

Victor frowned, “I don’t know, Yuuri…”

“This might be the only time I’ll ever get to try it,” Yuuri pointed out, a sweet smile on display. The smile he knew Victor hadn’t been able to resist since the moment he arrived. “Order me something you think I’d like. Please?”

Victor knew he wasn’t going to be able to get out of it. Yuuri was determined. There were so many things that could go wrong, and yet, he found himself running through the options in his mind, trying to figure out what Yuuri was most likely to enjoy. 

“Alright, fine. A vodka for me, and a cassis orange for my stubborn friend.” 

Yuuri bounced on his feet, smile so dazzling even in the darkness of the club. Victor didn’t know much about Yuuri’s tastes. He knew that Yuuri loved food in every form that had been presented to him thus far. He knew that his favourite things were sweet and that the one thing Yuuri had come back to time and time again was fruit. So, a sweet drink had to be the way to go, something that he could have and barely taste the alcohol in. That was the only way Victor could imagine Yuuri enjoying it. Then again, he’d enjoyed everything else he had, so maybe Victor was just overthinking it. 

“Wow! It looks like a sunset.” Yuuri held the glass up to closely inspect the drink. 

As it turned out, Yuuri really liked it. He liked it more than he should have, and Victor was instantly filled with regret. What had he been thinking? He should’ve just ordered something he was sure Yuuri wouldn’t like, and then he wouldn’t have had another drop. Instead, Yuuri’s first sip quickly evolved into him downing the entire concoction. He pressed the glass back down on the bar, bouncing on his feet. “Can I have another?”

Victor had barely taken a sip of his own drink, raising an eyebrow at Yuuri. There was a decent amount of alcohol in that little concoction. It was surprising Yuuri had managed to down it so quickly, but maybe it was just another thing that made stars a little different from people. Maybe he could handle alcohol. Maybe it did absolutely nothing to him. Hesitantly, Victor gestured for the bartender to bring Yuuri one more. “Only one. After that, I’m cutting you off.”

The pout he received was utterly adorable. Everything about Yuuri was adorable. It was truly unfair, and Victor was absolutely certain Yuuri knew it. Yuuri was using it against him. There wasn’t much Victor wouldn’t give to him when Yuuri gave him those puppy dog eyes. But that was just Yuuri. Victor found it hard to believe that anyone could resist his charms. 

Agreeing to take it slower this time, Yuuri slowly sipped at his drink, a dreamy smile on his lips as the fruity taste hit his tongue. He looked around the room, hesitating as his eyes caught different people. He would look at one person dancing, watching them with a frown. Another moment, he’d be eyeing a man sitting with a group of friends, uncertainty etched in his features. It wasn’t like Yuuri to be uncertain. He knew what he wanted. He knew what Victor needed. At least, that’s what he’d always been so adamant about. And Victor trusted him completely. He trusted Yuuri to find him the perfect partner and to weed out the ones that would be a waste of time. Victor didn’t have anyone else to rely on for something this important.

Nudging Yuuri’s shoulder, Victor spoke over the music. “What’s wrong? Did you find someone?”

Looking back at Victor, Yuuri smiled shyly, a smile that didn’t seem to meet his eyes. After a moment of silence, he simply shook his head, picking up his glass and downing the last of his drink. “Dance with me.”

“What?” It had come out of nowhere, a surprise invitation that would probably only serve to lower his chances of meeting anyone special that night. After all, they’d see him on the dance floor with a beautiful guy, one who was literally glowing. The glowing had dimmed just a little, but it was still there, and then Yuuri was reaching for Victor’s hand, tugging him closer.

“Please,” Yuuri insisted, tugging Victor onto the dance floor as he spoke. “I’ll be able to see people better. Besides, I’ve never danced before.”

Victor had danced plenty of times. It was part of his job. Training in ballet had helped him to maintain his balance on the ice and had helped to improve his step sequences. Figure skating was dancing in its own right. A performance, using the music to feel and become whatever he wanted the audience to see within him. That’s what music and dance had always been in his mind. But, though he’d done a lot of dancing in his time, it had never been the particular kind of dancing that was happening in that club. 

Everyone was bunched up together, and even when Victor could see who was and who wasn’t partnered up, they were still so close to everyone else that it might as well have been one giant cluster of moving bodies. It wasn’t the kind of dancing Victor liked. No finesse, no feeling. Nothing but a group of people with too much alcohol in their system and one night of passion on their minds. 

Victor hated to admit it, but he was a little worried. Not for himself, but for Yuuri. He didn’t want anyone else touching Yuuri, didn’t want them to get the wrong idea and take him away. He was sweet and innocent, and Victor couldn’t bear the thought of anyone ruining that. Yuuri deserved better than a group of horny young adults pressed up against him. No matter how much he wanted to, Victor couldn’t get himself to say just as much. Instead, he wrapped an arm around Yuuri’s waist, holding him close as he did his best to move to the music just like everyone else was. If Victor couldn’t stop Yuuri from dancing, then he’d at least make it clear that no one else was allowed to touch him.

As the alcohol seemed to process through Yuuri’s system, he seemed to become less and less inhibited, his dancing growing more confident (and completely out of rhythm), his smiles becoming more honest. He laughed as he wrapped his arms around Victor, dipping him, spinning him in circles. The music didn’t match their movements, but it didn’t matter. There was a music all of their own flowing through them. Victor was completely focused on the man in front of him, the rest of the room seeming to fade away as he lost himself in Yuuri.

He’d thought maybe Yuuri wouldn’t be affected by the alcohol. He was wrong. It had taken a little longer, but hit even harder than it would hit a human. Yuuri was giggling, pupils dilated as he leaned all of his weight against Victor. His arms wrapped around Victor’s neck, beaming up at him with eyes sparkling. Those  _ eyes _ . They were prettier than all the stars in the sky put together. 

“Victooooor!” Yuuri slurred over his name, nuzzling his face against his neck and humming happily. “You smell nice.”

Victor’s fingers tangled gently in Yuuri’s hair, his other arm wrapped tightly around his waist as he guided Yuuri from the dancefloor, laughing fondly. “I think you’ve had too much.” 

Yuuri stumbled as he tried to keep up with Victor’s pace, whining sadly when he heard the music getting quieter, quieter, until they were outside. Victor didn’t like clubs. He never had, and maybe this was just the excuse he needed to head home. He was just taking care of his friend. His incredibly adorable, pretty, charming friend. Yuuri gripped the back of Victor’s shirt collar and said, “Where’re we going? Victooor?”

The way he drew out Victor’s name made it somehow sound nicer. Victor was quickly realising how much he enjoyed hearing Yuuri say it. In fact, he was learning that night just how much he enjoyed a lot of things about Yuuri. He’d never been so clingy before, his body pressed so close to Victor’s like their very lives depended on it. Yuuri was warm. He was warm and soft, and he fit oddly well in Victor’s arms. Victor’s heart raced as he pulled Yuuri along the street towards his apartment. He’d just take Yuuri home and put him to bed. Maybe they’d try again tomorrow without the alcohol.

It was proving more difficult than he’d expected to get Yuuri home. He held Yuuri closer, and Yuuri clung just as closely. As he stepped forward, Yuuri had to step back, and with his lack of coordination, each step nearly ended in disaster. Yuuri giggled against his neck as he nearly fell backwards, only for Victor’s hold to keep him upright. Pulling away just enough to look up at Victor, Yuuri smiled sweetly and said, “My hero.”

Victor’s heart fluttered as he looked into those eyes, brushing away the dark locks falling into them. “You’re very drunk. We’re gonna get you home and put you to bed, okay?”

“Will you stay with me?” Yuuri looked down at Victor’s chest, chewing his bottom lip. “I sleep better when I’m with you.”

Victor’s breath caught. It was like a dam being broken, the realisation dawned on him as he watched sweet, shy Yuuri press himself close. He  _ liked _ Yuuri. He really liked Yuuri. And for some reason, he hadn’t even thought about it until that very moment, but suddenly it was obvious. Of course he liked Yuuri. How could he not? How could anyone in the world not fall head over heels for Yuuri? How had he been so stupid not to have realised it until that moment?

Victor had been so desperate to keep Yuuri at his side. He’d been so stuck on the thought that once Yuuri found him someone, he would leave, and he’d been so against the very thought of that ever happening. Because losing Yuuri would be like losing love, losing a chance at a happily ever after that no one else could possibly ever give him. 

But Yuuri was a star. Yuuri wasn’t human, and he wasn’t going to stay forever. Soon enough, he’d go back to the sky and Victor would never see him again. He couldn’t get attached. He couldn’t put himself through the pain of losing Yuuri before he ever really had him.

But it was too late to pull away. 

“Yeah, of course.” Victor ran his hand along Yuuri’s spine, trying to reassure him. “I’ll stay as long as you want.”

“I can’t stay that long,” Yuuri mumbled, burying his face into the crook of his neck. Those simple words caused Victor’s heart to sink. So, it was true. Yuuri would be going back home soon. Whatever feelings Victor had realised he had, they couldn’t last. He had to bury them deep, suppress them and help Yuuri find him someone who could stay with him, someone who could share his feelings. Yuuri hummed softly as they made their way back to the apartment. “Hey, Victor?”

“Hm?” 

“Can I have more orange juice?”

Victor laughed, his arms tightening impulsively around Yuuri. Sweet, beautiful, adorable Yuuri. “That sounds like a great idea.”

* * *

 

Victor managed to settle Yuuri into bed with ease once he’d gotten him home, Makkachin asleep at the end of the bed. Victor laid at Yuuri’s side and a moment later, he was being used as a pillow, Yuuri’s head rested against his chest. Victor didn’t mind. Even as his heart picked up its pace, he didn’t mind. Victor knew Yuuri couldn’t stay forever. He knew that this was only going to be temporary, and he knew that this was entirely one-sided, but he’d make the most of the little things while it lasted.

“I’m sorry,” Yuuri murmured.

“What? Why?” Victor’s fingers ran delicately along Yuuri’s back, idly enjoying the feeling of another body pressed against his own. “I’m the one who ordered those drinks for you.”

“Noooo,” Yuuri whined, drawing out the word, “I can’t find you anyone.”

Victor sighed. “That’s not your fault, Yuuri.”

“Noooo,” he repeated, drawing out the word once more. Yuuri reached out, brushing a finger along Victor’s arm so delicately, like a feather barely dusting against his skin. “You’re talented and fun and you’re  _ so _ nice.” Yuuri wasn’t slurring as much as he had been back at the club, but he still seemed more open than he normally would be, the alcohol still had its hold on him as he spoke. “And pretty. You’re really pretty. And someone should fall in love with you, Victor.”

Victor frowned, “You can’t control that, though.”

“And there are so many people who you could be happy with,” Yuuri continued as though Victor had never spoken. Maybe he hadn’t heard it, too lost in his rambling. “When I see them, I wanna tell you, but I don’t because I want to spend more time with you.” Yuuri’s hand moved further along Victor’s arm until he was threading their fingers together, voice going soft. “I keep telling myself I’ll find you someone tomorrow, but if you love someone, you let them go. I’ll find you someone. Promise.”

Victor froze, Yuuri’s words hitting him like a truck. Yuuri had found people. Those people he’d stopped and stared at, the people he’d watched so closely, had they all been people Victor could’ve happily spent the rest of his life with? Was it really that simple? So many times, Yuuri had stared at someone, a stranger, and Victor had always thought it was simply his way of determining whether they could match, but it wasn’t. He already knew. He just never said anything.

“Yuuri…” Before Victor could find words, the silence of the room was broken by the quiet sound of Yuuri’s snores.


	7. Capricorn

 

It wasn’t until late morning that Victor woke the following day. The first thing he noticed was how warm he felt, even warmer than he usually did with just Makkachin curled into his side. And then he remembered the events of the night before, the drunken star who had revealed truths that he might have wanted to keep buried. But Yuuri hadn’t been clear, either. Had he? He said he wanted to stay, to spend more time with Victor, and Victor understood why. He’d felt the same way, wanting to be close to Yuuri, afraid to lose him from his life. He just hadn’t realised until that night why Yuuri meant so much to him. It made sense now, but Yuuri’s feelings couldn’t be less clear to Victor.

Looking down, he was met with the sight of Yuuri curled up against him. His head was rested against Victor’s chest, arm wrapped firmly around Victor’s waist. Their legs had tangled together in the night, Yuuri’s curled around Victor’s like their very lives depended on that closeness, and Victor was more than happy to oblige. He could see more glittery stardust settled in Yuuri’s hair, and smiled fondly as he watched him sleep. Yuuri was adorable in every way. Victor still found it a little hard to believe Yuuri was really a star, that Yuuri had come so far just to make him happy. 

But Yuuri  _ did  _ make him happy. His life was different now. Not because he was looking for love, but because… maybe he’d found it. Maybe Yuuri had come all that way to help him, but in reality, Yuuri was exactly what he needed. That’s what Victor wanted to believe, at least.

Yuuri was still asleep, long lashes resting against his cheeks, and Victor couldn’t resist. He’d let himself indulge. Just this one time, he could pretend Yuuri was his and enjoy that closeness. It wouldn’t last forever. Yuuri would leave soon, but Victor didn’t mind. He’d take the time he had left. Victor carded his fingers through Yuuri’s hair, enjoying how soft those dark locks felt between them. 

The first sign that Yuuri had finally woken was a soft whimper. His fingers gripped Victor’s shirt tighter, pressing himself closer. Victor frowned. “Yuuri?”

Yuuri whined, reaching blindly and covering Victor’s mouth with his hand. “Shh.”

Of course. A star’s first hangover. There was a first time for everything, but this was one of the painful things Victor wished Yuuri hadn’t taken the time to experience. Then again, it meant Victor got to hold him, it meant he got to indulge in this little moment to take care of him. Selfishly, Victor thought it was worth it. 

He chuckled against Yuuri’s hand and murmured, “ Zvezdochka…” He pulled away Yuuri’s hand. It felt like his heart jumped into his throat as he used the term of endearment. Yuuri had never spoken Russian in the time Victor had known him. He wasn’t sure Yuuri knew how. It was another little indulgence, something Yuuri didn’t need to know about. Victor let his fingers gently massage at his scalp. “I tried to tell you not to drink.”

Yuuri mewled, pressing his head into Victor’s touch like a satisfied cat. “You’re so loud.”

“No, you’re just very hungover,” Victor sighed. “You want me to get you something for the pain?”

“A new body. I think I broke this one.” Yuuri pouted as he looked up at Victor. The sight alone was enough to send Victor’s heart racing. Yuuri was going to do him in, and that adorable face would be completely worth it. 

Reluctantly, Victor untangled himself from Yuuri and said, “I’ll get you some water.”

“Wait.” Before Victor could get up Yuuri was gripping his arm, holding him there. His hold wasn’t as tight as it normally was, since he was still feeling the effects of the previous night’s choices, but Victor felt no desire to move away. Yuuri looked into Victor’s eyes for barely a moment, quickly averting his gaze and letting go, “No… nothing, nevermind.”

Words were left unspoken. That much was clear, but Victor resisted the urge to ask. Instead, he let go, he got to his feet and left Yuuri in the bed. He regretted it almost instantly. There was something about how it felt to have Yuuri in his arms, warm and safe. Victor hadn’t felt that way with anyone for such a long time. Being close felt good and right, and knowing Yuuri trusted him so much, was so comfortable that he could fall asleep held in his arms felt special. Of course, Victor had to remind himself that Yuuri had been very drunk the night before and that he hadn’t been thinking clearly. He would’ve fallen asleep in a dirty alley if Victor hadn’t been there to take care of him.

Victor had to stop looking for hope where there wasn’t any. Yuuri was going home soon. 

But Victor had no intention of being paired off with someone else. Not now. Not when he’d realised how special Yuuri was, what his feelings really meant. There was a chance, no matter how small, that the feeling was love. Love in its early stages like a budding flower. It just needed time and nurturing. Victor could see it. He could see himself falling in love with Yuuri. It wouldn’t take much, Yuuri already had a hold over him. Victor already knew he would do absolutely anything in his power to make this starboy happy. 

Victor knew that no one else was going to make him feel it. He knew that his heart and mind had already been decided, so there was no reason in the world for him to be paired off with anyone else. That would only lead to pain later. No, instead, Victor was just going to make the most of the time he had with Yuuri. Eventually, Yuuri would go home. Maybe he’d be disappointed if he left Victor without someone at his side, but Victor knew he’d already gotten what he wanted. Even if it was one-sided. Even if it was fleeting. It was enough to have felt it at all.

Pocketing some pills, Victor brought two glasses back into the bedroom; one filled with water, the other with a yellowy green liquid. Yuuri was sat in the middle of the bed, eyes closed and head lulled to the side as though he’d already fallen back asleep. His hair was a mess, a blush staining his cheeks red. So cute. So unfairly cute. Victor sat on the edge of the bed, putting the water down on the nightstand and offering the other glass to Yuuri. Yuuri eyed it warily, “What is it?”

“Just drink it. It’ll make you feel better.” Victor insisted.

Yuuri didn’t seem entirely convinced but took the glass from Victor. Holding it close to his face with both hands, Yuuri sniffed at the drink. The smell didn’t seem to turn him away, and that was enough for him to attempt a sip. Tipping the glass back, Yuuri took a mouthful, freezing the moment the liquid touched his tongue. His eyes went wide, tipping the glass back and spitting out what he could back into the glass. Yuuri scrunched up his face as he reached blindly for the other glass, making grabby hands in its general direction. “Water!”

Victor laughed, taking the glass away from Yuuri and replacing it with the water. “Come on, it’s not that bad.”

Yuuri was already downing the water like a man stranded in the desert. After a few more mouthfuls had been downed, he glared at Victor, holding the glass of water close. “You tried to poison me.”

“It’s pickle juice,” Victor deadpanned. “It’s meant to help with hangovers.”

“It’s disgusting,” Yuuri pouted, taking another sip of the water. “Who would ever drink that?”

“Hungover people.” Victor shrugged, placing the juice to the side. “And some people do actually like it.”

Yuuri shuddered, shuffling himself closer until he was leaning against Victor, his head rested on his shoulder. It was just because he wanted to stay upright, Victor convinced himself. He was there, he was convenient. That didn’t stop Victor wrapping an arm around Yuuri’s waist, though. It didn’t stop him resting his head against Yuuri’s. It didn’t stop him thinking about how well they fit together. His thumb traced delicate circles against Yuuri’s side, just enjoying the closeness for a moment, allowing himself the chance to savour it. 

Victor couldn’t keep pushing. He knew he shouldn’t force himself on Yuuri, that he was only going to make things more difficult for them both if he did. Sighing softly, he reached into his pocket with his free hand, pulling out a bottle of pills and handing it to Yuuri. “Take two. For your head.”

Yuuri stared at the bottle. “Take… two?”

Right. Not human. Yuuri had never had a pill in his life. Victor reluctantly untangled his arm from Yuuri’s waist, taking the bottle and opening it. He carefully poured out two pills, placing them in Yuuri’s hand, “Put them in your mouth and swallow them with your water. Don’t chew them. They taste even worse than that juice.”

“That’s not possible,” Yuuri muttered to himself, placing the pills on his tongue and downing another mouthful of water. “...Did I do it?”

“You did good.” Victor gently ruffled Yuuri’s hair, taking the glass from his hands. “Now lay down and get some rest.”

“Mm no, we have to go out. Today’s the day, I know it is.” Despite his words, Yuuri was already laying back on the bed, hugging a pillow to his chest.

It hit him harder than Victor expected, Yuuri’s words from the night before rolling through his head. Yuuri didn’t want to leave. Not exactly. He knew he would have to, and he wanted to make the most of their time together just as much as Victor did. Maybe not quite for the same reasons, but they both had been wanting the same things. But Yuuri was still trying, pushing himself to let go and find Victor the one. Yuuri wanted him to be happy, even if it meant they’d never see each other again. 

Victor would only truly be happy if he could see Yuuri every day for the rest of time, but that didn’t seem like the kind of thing he could just say.

“You’re not going anywhere until you get some rest, Yuuri. You’re too exhausted right now.”

Yuuri sighed sadly, nuzzling his face against the pillow. He peered out from behind the soft fabric, looking up at Victor as his voice muffled against it. “Will you let me take you out tonight if I sleep now?”

A compromise. That was really all Yuuri would ever settle for, and Victor knew it. There was no way he wasn’t going to take Victor out that day anyway. Looking at more people, and maybe Yuuri would have the courage to point people out, to set Victor up. Victor didn’t care to think about it. Surely, there were plenty of good people in Russia, plenty of people who could make him happy, but they weren’t Yuuri. And that was the one quality Victor had found himself looking for in a partner.

“Alright, fine. Tonight. Right now, I need you to sleep,” Victor agreed, wrapping the blankets around Yuuri. 

Things were different than they had been the night before. Victor knew Yuuri was much more aware of himself, knew exactly what he was doing. Which meant that there were boundaries that he couldn’t cross. No matter how much Victor wanted to let Yuuri use him as his own personal pillow again, he knew he shouldn’t. His feelings were complicated enough. There was no need to make it even worse. 

“Victor?” He had managed to get to the door before he was stopped by Yuuri’s voice, turning back to see Yuuri staring up at him from the pillow. “Stay with me? I sleep better when you’re here.”

The butterflies in Victor’s stomach were immediate. Yuuri had him completely enchanted.

* * *

 

He should’ve seen this coming, really, but Victor had assumed something like this would be a last resort. Was Yuuri really at the end of his tether? Had Victor been so terrible at finding someone that  _ this _ was the last option left? Or maybe this was Yuuri’s way of washing his hands of the situation. This way, he wouldn’t have any say in what was happening. It was all on Victor, and he couldn’t stop anything from happening anymore. Whatever the reason, Victor was sat at a table in the middle of a bar with the number three in front of him and a nametag proudly displayed on his chest.

To Yuuri’s credit, he hadn’t made Victor go to this speed dating night on his own, though he’d very much insisted he was having no part in it. Instead, he sat at the bar, still half asleep and looking worse for wear. Victor had even seen him shoot a glare at the bartender when she came over to offer him a drink. 

Victor just didn’t see the point of it. Speed dating felt a little desperate. Then again, so did everything else they’d been doing up until that point and nothing had actually worked out. At least there wasn’t music blasting as there had been at the club. Looking around at all the other people with name tags, Victor felt a sense of dread. What was he supposed to do? Victor didn’t want to be paired up with anyone. He didn’t want to hurt anyone either, and there was the thought in the back of his mind that he’d only disappoint Yuuri if this didn’t work. But how could it possibly work when he was already spoken for? At least, in his own mind, he was. No one else was going to have him as completely as Yuuri already did. 

A woman by the bar rang a bell, signaling the beginning of the night, and Victor wasn’t sure why that alone sent his heart racing. The first person to sit across from him was a man who appeared to be younger than Victor, dark hair and piercing green eyes. He had a chiseled jawline and sported a carefully groomed stubble. He was cute, in his own way, at least. Victor quickly turned to look at Yuuri. He received a grimace and shake of the head in return. It was a look he’d gotten used to getting from Yuuri. A look that meant, ‘he’s all wrong for you’. Knowing that actually made Victor feel a little better about it. 

The time went by quickly, and Victor confirmed even faster that the guy was indeed no good for him. He was a nice enough guy, just not compatible with Victor. He could see himself on three dates before finally giving up and breaking it off. He was the fun for a while type, not the type Victor would spend the rest of his life with. Once the bell chimed, signaling the time to switch partners, Victor was relieved for that moment of reprieve. And then his next potential partner sat across the table from him.

Long blonde hair and curves for days were the first things Victor noticed. Her smile was sweet like her perfume and she had eyes like dark chocolate. Whoever this woman was, Victor could see people easily falling for her. That only made it all the more difficult to understand why a woman as beautiful as this was at a speed dating night. Glancing down, Victor caught sight of the name tag by her collar. Nadia.

Talking to Nadia was easy. Victor actually enjoyed it, but it wasn’t the same enjoyment he got with Yuuri. She seemed like the sort of person Victor could befriend, someone he would spend time with on his days off, but romance? He couldn’t quite picture that. Still, he tried to humour the situation until he would get another moment to himself.

“Why are you here?” Nadia asked suddenly.

Victor raised his eyebrows, eyeing her carefully, and said, “The same as everyone else? Why?”

“Because it’s like you’re trying to sabotage yourself.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re just doing this for a friend or something, right?”

Victor averted his gaze, wringing his fingers together. “Kinda.”

“They don’t know you’re already dating someone?” she tried.

Victor chuckled nervously, glancing back to make sure Yuuri was out of earshot. “Actually, he doesn’t know…” He trailed off.

“ _ Oh _ .” Nadia gave Victor a knowing look, leaning back in her seat. “Wow, you’re in quite the situation.”

“Yeah, it’s a… whole thing.” Victor shrugged, and added, “Sorry. I’m kinda wasting your time here.”

She shook her head, reaching out to brush her hand against Victor’s, “No, it’s fine. You’d be surprised how often things like this happen. Just… maybe tell everyone else who sits here that you’re spoken for before they get their hopes up. You’re cute, you’re gonna break a few hearts tonight.”

After his encounter with Nadia, the rest of the night felt a lot easier. She was right. He was only going to hurt people if he didn’t tell them he had absolutely no interest in pursuing anything that night. Instead, he started every conversation by telling them he was spoken for. The conversations flowed easily once there were no expectations. Victor saw it more like a night to maybe make a friend or two than anything else. 

Once the night came to a close, some people were paired off while others remained alone. Victor was among the unpaired group. He made his way back to Yuuri’s side, taking a seat and sighing dramatically. “I guess that’s that.”

“What?” Yuuri frowned, glancing between the group of people and Victor. “But you looked like you were having a good time. That blond guy with the baby face was perfect for you.”

That was interesting information. Victor recalled the man Yuuri was talking about, and though he did enjoy his time talking to him, Victor really couldn’t picture himself falling in love. Maybe this whole aura thing wasn’t as accurate as Yuuri thought it was. Or maybe Victor had become so biased that absolutely nothing would’ve impressed him anymore. Victor shrugged, offering Yuuri a smile. “It’s fine. I’m happy.”

“How can you be happy? I still haven’t made your wish come true!” Yuuri sighed, voice going quiet. “I didn’t have to do this, you know? I didn’t have to come here. We don’t have to make wishes come true unless we want to.”

Well, that made sense. Victor was sure there would be more strange people with glittery hair roaming the streets if every wish made on a star had to be fulfilled. There would probably be fewer stars in the sky, too. Yuuri didn’t  _ have _ to make his wish come true. Yuuri didn’t even have to have appeared in the first place. Victor could’ve gone his whole life having never known Yuuri existed. Yuuri would have been nothing more than a glittery speck in the sky on moonlit nights. Victor frowned, asking the question that kept rolling through his mind. “So… why did you, then?”

“Because you looked so sad.” Yuuri looked up at Victor, “You looked so lonely and sad, and I couldn’t bear it. No one should be alone. Everyone deserves love. And now I know you… I don’t know how the whole world hasn’t fallen in love with you.”

“Yuuri…”

“But I can’t even find one person for you…” Yuuri sighed sadly.

Victor reached out, taking Yuuri’s hand. “Hey, don’t say that. I’ve never been happier than I am right now.” Yuuri raised an eyebrow, looking at Victor skeptically. “I mean it,” Victor insisted.  

A silence fell between them, Yuuri staring down at their hands. Victor wanted desperately to tell him his wish  _ had _ come true, that he had found love in the most unexpected of places. But if he told Yuuri, Yuuri would have no reason to stay. It was selfish. It wasn’t fair. Yuuri was hurting, thinking that he was a failure just because Victor didn’t want to be paired off with anyone else. 

Yuuri’s words kept running through his mind, a reminder that what he was doing wasn’t fair, wasn’t what love should be. If you loved someone, you let them go. No matter how much it was going to hurt to love Yuuri, he would have to leave eventually. And seeing Yuuri this hurt, this defeated wasn’t right. He deserved to know the truth.

“How about tomorrow night, I take you out somewhere I want to go for a change,” Victor offered.

He’d tell him. Yuuri deserved to know.


	8. Leo

“What are you looking for in a lover?”

It wasn’t the question Victor was expecting to hear from a date, especially when he knew it was being asked to find Victor someone  _ else _ to fall for. 

And he  _ was _ on a date. Victor was going to take Yuuri out, sweep him off his feet, and tell him how he really felt. It sounded so simple in his mind. Yuuri would laugh, Victor would pull him closer, their lips would meet, and they’d live happily ever after. Simple enough. 

Except nothing with Yuuri was simple. Even if things did work out, it was on a timer. Yuuri would go back one day. There had to be a reason he was pushing Victor to find someone as soon as possible.

Victor reached out, looping his pinky with Yuuri’s as they walked. It was as much as he was willing to do, no matter how badly he wanted to hold his hand. Yuuri had held his hand before, plenty of times. Victor wasn’t sure why he was so nervous about it now. His feelings had changed things, given them more meaning. Suddenly a hand in Victor’s felt like home, felt like happiness he hadn’t yet earned. Instead, he’d settle for a single finger.

“Well,” Victor feigned thought,. “He should be fun, should surprise me. I want my life to be full of surprises. I hope he’s someone I can be competitive with. That always makes things more exciting.”

Yuuri frowned. “That’s… very specific.”

“Dark hair,” Victor continued, “He should have these soft brown eyes that kind of sparkle when he’s lost in thought. He should be just a little shorter than me. I think that’s cute. Oh, and he should come from space.”

Yuuri gently slapped his arm as they walked. “I’m being serious, Victor.”

“Who said I’m not?” He gently swung Yuuri’s hand with his own, gesturing to a nearby building. “Come on, we’re here.”

Neon lights formed the shape of a ball with three objects shaped like penguins behind it. Yuuri looked confused, head tilted to the side as he stared up at them. “What’s… that?”

“Bowling. It’s a game. I thought since you like beating me at things, and since you want to experience all the things humans have to offer, it might be fun for you.”

“That’s sweet,” Yuuri smiled. “But how is this supposed to help you find someone?”

Victor found himself reaching out before he could stop himself, a mix of frustration at Yuuri for pushing the topic and frustration at himself for being unable to just say how he felt. He cupped Yuuri’s face in his hands, feeling soft skin beneath his fingertips and stared back into those pretty brown eyes before he said, “Can we please stop thinking about that? Just for tonight?”

Yuuri stared back at Victor, nodding hesitantly. “Okay.”

Victor had been nervous a few times in his life, mostly times involving skating. His first steps on the ice as a child were filled with nervous excitement as he prepared himself for the adventure. The first skating competition he competed in was a different kind of nervous, a fear of letting down the people around him. When he went to the Olympics, the nerves were filled with exhilaration, knowing it was an achievement to even be there in the first place. Nerves weren’t new to Victor, but those moments didn’t quite compare to the nerves he felt as he guided Yuuri into that bowling alley. This was a  _ date _ . He’d make sure Yuuri was aware of that just as soon as he built up the courage, but he wanted it to be a date. He wanted Yuuri to smile and laugh, to get competitive. He wanted the winner to get a kiss, he wanted to be able to pull Yuuri into his arms by the end of the night and tell him how special he really was. Victor had so many romantic visions in the back of his mind about how this night could end, but he wasn’t sure how to achieve any of them.

They were quickly pointed to their lane and given a pair of rental bowling shoes each, earning a look of utter disdain from the woman behind the counter when she saw that they’d arrived without their own. Victor probably should’ve thought about that, but he hadn’t been bowling since he was a teenager. He’d never had a reason to own shoes for it before. Besides, this was just one night. Yuuri stared at the shoes as he sat in the seats provided at their lane, scrunching up his nose. “Why did she give us these?”

“You have to put them on so we can play.” Victor was already tugging off his own shoes, gently nudging Yuuri with his arm. “Relax, they’re not gonna bite you.”

“I don’t know where these things have been.”

“They clean them,” Victor promised.

Yuuri stared at Victor for a moment, tone serious. “How do you know? Have you ever seen them clean them?”

Victor laughed, shaking his head as he started tying the laces on his shoes. “Please put them on. For me.”

Yuuri didn’t protest after that, tugging off his shoes and putting on the ones the alley had provided. He watched Victor closely as he tied the laces, seeming to learn exactly how he was supposed to do it himself from Victor’s actions. 

Victor hadn’t actually thought about it. Yuuri hadn’t been wearing shoes when he found him in that crater. The only shoes he’d ever worn were the ones Victor had provided for him. Those had only ever been the slip on kind. Yuuri had never tied shoe laces until that moment, and though he seemed to struggle at first, watching Victor was enough for him to get the hang of it.

Yuuri sat back in his seat, lifting his legs up to inspect the shoes on his feet, “Okay. Now what do we do?”

“Now, you come with me.” Victor got to his feet, offering Yuuri his hand. 

Yuuri stared at his hand for a moment, not moving. He seemed so uncertain, and Victor desperately wished he knew what Yuuri was thinking, wished he knew if all of this was going to be pointless and humiliating. Maybe he should just keep his feelings to himself. Maybe telling him the truth would only end up causing Yuuri more pain. Maybe letting him go would’ve been better. But then Yuuri was reaching out, placing his hand in Victor’s as he got to his feet. Victor was reminded of just how well Yuuri’s hand fit in his own, how wonderful it would feel to be able to hold that hand every day, to thread their fingers together, to gently squeeze it whenever Yuuri needed reassurance. He wasn’t sure how he’d gone so long without realising how important Yuuri was to him, but now he couldn’t seem to turn the thoughts off, constantly wondering what it would be like if Yuuri felt the same. 

Victor guided Yuuri to a section of the alley filled with various types of bowling balls in different colours and weights. “Pick whichever one you want.”

Yuuri glanced back at Victor, a sparkle in his eyes. Yuuri loved human things, whatever they might be. To be offered the chance to choose one was no doubt exciting to him. Yuuri let go of Victor’s hand as he stepped closer to inspect them, and Victor almost regretted it. He brushed a hand over one, then another as if trying to decide exactly which one would be just right. He finally stopped at a bright magenta one, the colour of alliums with flecks of purple. 

Resting his hand over it, Yuuri smiled to himself. “This is what your aura looks like,” He noted. “Can I have this one?”

The hint of a blush appeared along Victor’s nose. Yuuri was still surprising him, still making him feel special with the simplest of things. He gestured to the ball with a nod. “Go ahead.”

As Yuuri went to pick it up, his eyes went wide. “They’re heavier than they look.”

“Need a hand?” Victor teased.

“Please, how weak do you think I am?” Yuuri rolled his eyes with a fond smile as he picked it up. “What about you, do you get to pick one?”

Victor nodded, glancing over at the options he had. He chewed his lip nervously and then asked, “Is there one that looks like your aura?”

He’d been curious. Ever since Yuuri had first mentioned seeing his aura and how useful it was going to be to make Victor’s wish come true, Victor had wondered what Yuuri’s looked like. If Yuuri even  _ had _ one. It was difficult to tell what Yuuri had in common with humans and what he didn’t. Maybe he didn’t have an aura, but Victor was so sure he did. He had to. He’d acted as though auras were the window into the soul, and Victor had never known anyone with as much life as Yuuri. 

Yuuri seemed surprised by the question, but humoured Victor, inspecting them one by one until he settled on one particular ball. It was a deep blue the colour of lapis with lashings of gold mixed in. As Yuuri pointed it out, Victor realised how perfect it was. It suited him. Victor didn’t know what it meant, but it felt right. Picking up the ball, Victor held it up, inspecting the colour in the light. “It kinda matches mine.”

Yuuri’s blush was immediate, and he averted his gaze. “O-Oh, you think so?”

Victor didn’t really know how Yuuri matched auras, how it helped him to determine who was a good match and who simply wouldn’t work. Colours seemed to mean different things judging by what he’d said, but beyond that, Victor wasn’t sure. But, he couldn’t deny the way the sharp pink-purple colour his aura was seemed to look so nice beside Yuuri’s deep blue. “What does yours mean?”

Yuuri had been thorough in explaining what Victor’s aura seemed to mean, and he’d been pretty accurate. They really did seem to give Yuuri some insight into the person behind them. Yuuri chuckled nervously. “That… that’s a very intimate question to ask someone, Victor.”

“Is it?” Victor raised an eyebrow, “You know all about mine, I thought maybe you could tell me about yours.”

“Maybe later.” Yuuri shrugged, holding up the bowling ball in his hands. “You have to show me how to play this game first.”

No matter how badly Victor wanted to know, it was clear Yuuri wasn’t going to tell him. But that was fine. The night was young. There was still plenty of time for him to get closer to Yuuri and finally tell him just how important he was. First, Victor just wanted to see Yuuri smile, to make him stop thinking about finding him someone, and to just let go. Yuuri was the most beautiful when he was carefree.

Victor placed his chosen ball in the rack as they reached their lane, gesturing to the pins at the other end. “You’re up first.”

“I am?” Yuuri looked like a deer in headlights, staring back at Victor. “But I don’t know what to do.”

“It’s simple.” Victor moved to stand beside Yuuri at the front of their lane, pointing out the pins at the end. “All you have to do is throw the ball down the lane and knock those pins down. The more pins you hit, the higher the score. Oh, and you’re gonna want to avoid the gutters.”

Yuuri stared at the pins in the distance. “And I’m not supposed to cross the line?”

The line at their feet indicated the start of the lane, and though Victor was sure it would be utterly adorable to see Yuuri slipping over, he wasn’t hoping for the kind of date that left bruises. He laughed, stepping back for Yuuri to make his first attempt. “I’d advise against it. Go ahead, whenever you’re ready.”

“Okay…” Yuuri stared at the ball in his hands for a moment. He reared up, ready to toss the ball over his head.

“Whoa! Stop, stop!” Victor rushed forward, reaching to grab the ball from Yuuri’s hands before he could throw it. “You’re gonna kill someone.”

Yuuri frowned. “You said to throw it.”

“Not like that.” Victor took the ball from Yuuri’s hands, turning it over to find the three holes carved into it. He reached for Yuuri’s hand, gently showing him how to hold the ball. “You don’t throw it over your head like that. You have to use the holes to hold it.” Once he was satisfied with Yuuri’s hold, Victor stepped behind him, carefully guiding his hand movements. “It’s an underarm throw. Let the ball move with your hand and just… let go. Whenever you’re ready.”

Yuuri had gone quiet, frozen in Victor’s arms, and he hadn’t realised until that moment just how close he’d gotten. But Victor was there now, and he wasn’t willing to break the wonderful spell. He’d stay right there until Yuuri threw the ball or told him to leave, whichever came first. Yuuri took a shaky breath, the ball dropping from his hand with a loud smack against the lane. It barely moved at first, rolling slowly with the aid of the slippery lane and eventually falling into the gutter.

“Well. Not bad for a first try. Maybe put a little momentum behind it next time,” Victor chuckled, pulling away.

Yuuri was red faced, staring at the ground with his fists clenched at his sides. His voice cracked as he spoke. “I-I just can’t concentrate when… when you’re so close.”

As it turned out, Victor being further away didn’t seem to help much. In fact, they were both pretty awful at bowling, but that was okay. It was something they could be awful at together. The teasing banter as their competitive sides came out was thrilling in its own way, even as their scores never quite reached triple digits. They were bad. Really, really bad. But Yuuri was slowly getting the hang of it, getting fewer gutter balls and hitting more pins down with each attempt. And of course, Victor couldn’t deny how adorable Yuuri looked when he was concentrating.

The only problem was that throughout the evening, Victor couldn’t quite work up the courage to tell Yuuri the truth; that he hoped it  _ was _ a date, that he hoped Yuuri could return his affections. Every time he got close, something would stop him. Or maybe Victor just didn’t have the courage, afraid of ruining a good thing. What he and Yuuri had was special. It wasn’t enough, not at all. Victor wanted it to be so much more, but was it really worth risking what they had now for something that might never happen?

The sound of pins crashing to the ground like dominoes echoed through the room, “Victor!” Broken from his thoughts, Victor looked up just in time to see a beaming Yuuri jumping into his arms. “I did it!”

Sure enough, Yuuri’s score on the screen showed a spare. He’d  _ done _ it. He’d actually managed to knock down all the pins. Victor grinned, wrapping his arms tightly around Yuuri and gently spinning him in a circle. “I knew you could.”

“Knew I could beat you, but still dared to challenge me? That’s brave,” Yuuri teased, pulling away just enough to look up at Victor with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“One of my better qualities. I don’t back down from a challenge,” Victor smirked. “Some people find that very attractive.”

“I bet they do,” Yuuri agreed, the words falling from his lips as though he couldn’t control them.

“Yuuri?” Victor raised an eyebrow, curious.

Yuuri was always filled with surprises, saying things that took Victor off guard, dragging Victor into things he would never normally do. He’d learned a long time ago to stop questioning it, to go with the flow and allow Yuuri to take control. Wonderful things happened when Yuuri took control. He was reminded of that fact again when Yuuri pressed himself closer, closing the gap between them and catching Victor’s lips against his own. It was barely a second of contact, a moment of pure indulgence, but it had come from  _ Yuuri _ . 

As Victor stared back into those dark brown eyes, he could see the fear in them, uncertainty. Yuuri hadn’t kissed him since the night they met, and that kiss had been meaningless. This was different, this was filled with something so much  _ more _ . Or maybe Victor just wanted desperately to believe he really did have a chance. Whatever the reason, he was tugging Yuuri closer, their lips crashing together with a mix of want and desperation. So  _ long _ . Victor had craved that kiss for so, so long. Yuuri’s fingers tangled in Victor’s hair, holding him close, his own desperation for this moment just as tangible as Victor’s.

Victor was lost in the moment, in Yuuri as their bodies pressed close together. And then Yuuri’s fingers were leaving his hair, Yuuri’s body pulling away, and as Victor dared to open his eyes and break the spell of that perfect moment, he saw tears in Yuuri’s. He frowned, reaching out, only for Yuuri to flinch away, “What’s wrong…?”

“I’m sorry,” Yuuri whispered, wiping at the tears in his eyes. It was the last thing Victor heard, Yuuri rushing out of the building a moment later.

Victor was left with a lump in his throat, rejection at the forefront of his mind. But Victor knew he only had one choice. For as long as he’d known Yuuri, it had always been the same. Wherever Yuuri went, Victor followed. The bowling alley, the score, the date were forgotten as Victor rushed after his fallen star.


	9. Sagittarius

When Victor was twelve years old, he fell on the ice in training. It wasn’t the first time he had fallen, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last. Falling was something that happened, something that even the greatest skaters had to deal with. Sometimes the ice wasn’t even. Sometimes the skates weren’t tight enough. Sometimes you just aren’t having a good day. Whatever the reason, falls happened, and Victor had been taught to accept that as a child. But that particular day, a pain shot through his ankle as he hit the ice.

It had ended up only being a sprain, and there had been several months before his first competition, but he could still vividly remember that fear, the fear of letting everyone around him down, of not being able to perform to his usual standard for his first competition… the fear that he wouldn’t be enough. It was the most real fear he’d ever felt in his life.

But it didn’t compare to how scared he was when Yuuri ran out of that bowling alley.

It was hard to know what exactly to think. Yuuri had kissed him. He had made the first move, and Victor had simply responded to it. Sure, Victor had been desperate to kiss him, had been fighting the urge for a while now, but he had resisted. He wanted to wait for the right moment, to be sure it was what Yuuri wanted. So why had Yuuri run away? He had started it, but maybe he wasn’t really interested. Maybe he only did it because he felt like he had to. The very thought was like a lead weight in Victor’s stomach.

He had to know how Yuuri felt. He couldn’t keep waiting and wondering, pretending that he could live with the little moments until Yuuri eventually left. Yuuri had been so clear. If you cared for someone, you let them go.  Victor had wanted to be that kind of chivalrous, had wanted to accept that Yuuri would disappear one day and he’d be alone again. He had told himself that he could accept that, that it would be worth the moments he got. But Victor _wasn’t_ that person. He wasn’t the person who could let go of something he wanted. He was stubborn and competitive, and when Victor wanted something, he would do whatever it took to make it happen. If Yuuri didn’t feel the same way, he knew there was nothing he could do, but there was a chance. There was a sliver of hope that maybe Yuuri wanted this as much as Victor did. Victor couldn’t let go until he knew for sure.

In his panic, Victor checked all the places he’d visited with Yuuri, sure that he would be in one of them. He wasn’t. Victor returned home, preparing to take Makkachin straight back out. If he couldn’t find Yuuri, then surely Makkachin could. When he opened the door, he wasn’t met with the usual excitable ball of fur expecting love and attention. That was his first clue. Victor quietly closed the door behind him, slowly walking further into his apartment. His legs stopped, stuck in place as he caught sight of Yuuri seated on the couch, knees pulled up to his chest and draped in Victor’s hoodie. The one he’d given Yuuri the first time he’d left the apartment. It looked good on him. He looked cute and sweet, and there was something so nice about Yuuri wearing his clothes.

“Yuuri…” Victor let out a shaky breath. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Why’d you leave like that?”

“I got you a present.” Yuuri seemed to ignore the question, pointing to the table.

Victor followed Yuuri’s direction, walking slowly over to the table. It was completely bare save for a small velvet box sitting in the center. Victor was hesitant to pick it up, afraid to want something, afraid to think too much of the gesture. His heart hammered in his chest as he opened the box, a mix of gold and silver catching his eye. A ring sat comfortably in the box, a golden band with flecks of silver embedded in the metal. Victor hesitantly plucked the ring from the box, holding it up to the light and watching as the silver flecks shimmered. “How did you get this?”

Yuuri didn’t have money. Victor had been the one to buy him his clothes, his meals, everything. A star with no job couldn’t really afford the essentials. And Victor couldn’t understand how Yuuri could’ve gotten something that was clearly so valuable with no money. He looked back at Yuuri, watching as he tugged up the leg of his sweatpants. Though one of the golden chains around his ankles was there, the one on his left was gone. “It was meant to be a goodbye present for when I find you someone. I asked the man at the market stall to make it for me. Apparently, my chains were worth more than enough for the job. The silver, it’s--”

“Stardust,” Victor finished the thought as it dawned on him. He’d seen that silver so many times, had brushed it from Yuuri’s hair. “Yuuri, I can’t accept this.”

“Why not? I had it made just for you.” Yuuri wasn’t looking at Victor, his focus entirely on the sleeve of the jacket.

“Because I don’t want you to go.” Victor placed the ring on the table, stepping closer. Makkachin was settled at Yuuri’s feet on the end of the couch, curled up in a ball and sleeping soundly. It was as though even Makkachin could find comfort in Yuuri’s presence. “If I crossed a boundary, I’m sorry, but don’t leave. Please.”

“It’s not fair on you.” Yuuri rested his chin on his knees, looking up at Victor. The sparkle in his eyes wasn’t there. Instead, they were filled with sadness, and Victor hated it. Yuuri’s eyes should never look so sad, so _helpless_. “The whole time I’ve been here, I’ve kept you to myself. I hated the thought of seeing you with someone else, but that was the whole reason I came here in the first place. I can’t make your wish come true, Victor. Maybe I can ask one of the other stars to do it.”

“Yuuri, don’t you get it?” Victor dared to close the distance between them, kneeling on the floor at his side and reaching for Yuuri’s hand. He was surprised when Yuuri didn’t fight it, simply watching Victor with uncertainty. Victor brushed his thumb along the gold band sitting on Yuuri’s hand. He hadn’t taken the ring off since the day he asked Victor to get it for him. He smiled shyly as he admired the ring. “I was just humouring you. I didn’t find anyone at that speed dating thing because I didn’t want to. I told them I was taken.”

“What? Why?” Yuuri frowned. “I thought you wanted my help.”

“You wanted me to go, so I did. But I didn’t want to be matched with anyone. I just wanted to make you happy, so I did what you wanted me to do, but I knew that if I got matched with anyone, you’d go. Besides… I already knew who I wanted to be with.” Victor pressed a delicate kiss to Yuuri’s knuckles, smiling to himself as Yuuri’s face turned red. “You made my wish come true the second you came here.”

“But you said…” Yuuri sounded so frustrated, pulling his hand away and pointing at Victor accusingly. “You said age differences weren’t your thing!”

Victor raised an eyebrow. “They aren’t.”

“I’m nearly three billion years older than you, Victor!”

The laughter bubbled up, spilling from his lips before he could stop it. Yuuri simply huffed his annoyance. Of course Yuuri would get stuck on something so trivial, something that simply didn’t matter. He moved closer, brushing a strand of Yuuri’s hair from his eyes. “I think it’s a little different for you. You don’t age like us humans, after all.” He rested their heads together, fighting the urge to kiss him again. “You look amazing for three billion, though.”

Yuuri’s shy chuckle was like a soothing balm on Victor’s heart, reassuring him that everything would be okay. He sat up, legs either side of Victor’s body as he pulled him closer, lacing their fingers together. There was a blush on Yuuri’s cheeks, a soft tinge of colour that just made him all the more endearing. Yuuri looked down at their hands, speaking softly, and said, “That’s sweet. You can be really charming when you wanna be.”

“Only when I wanna be?” Victor teased, feeling a little more daring. Yuuri hadn’t pushed him away, hadn’t said he wasn’t interested. Yuuri was holding his hands, was resting his head against Victor’s. His smile was sweet and shy, and his blush was so adorable, but it all just made Victor feel more confident. He’d made the right decision. Yuuri knew how he felt now. Yuuri knew that there was no one in the world who could compare, who could make him as happy as Victor was in his presence.

“Mm,” Yuuri hummed his agreement. “But you are very cute when you’re not trying.”

Their noses brushed together as Yuuri looked up at Victor, those deep brown eyes so consuming. People always said you could drown in blue eyes, but they had _nothing_ on Yuuri’s eyes. They were so rich and soft, so inviting. When Victor looked into those eyes, he knew he was completely at Yuuri’s mercy, and nothing sounded more wonderful.

Letting go of Yuuri’s hand, Victor brushed the pad of his thumb against his cheek, smiling as Yuuri leaned into the touch. “Can I kiss you?” Yuuri huffed a soft, nervous laugh as he nodded and Victor smirked. “Really? You’re not gonna run away this time?”

Yuuri rolled his eyes, tilting his head and catching Victor’s lips against his own. It wasn’t like the kiss at the bowling alley. Where that had been filled with desperation and need, this one was slow and gentle. Victor had been so afraid of losing Yuuri, had been so scared. He thought that if he didn’t get his feelings out then and there, he never would. But it was different now. Yuuri knew the truth and he wasn’t running away. Victor could just enjoy it for what it was, could learn everything about Yuuri with as much time as he wanted.

The soft, happy sigh that left Yuuri as he wrapped an arm around Victor’s neck sent his heart fluttering. The gentle nip to his lip enticed Victor closer, smiling into the kiss. He couldn’t believe he’d waited so long, he’d actually let there be a chance for this to slip through his fingers. It was everything Victor had been wishing for and so much more. Because Yuuri wasn’t something he could dream up. He was something so beyond Victor’s imagination, so perfect in his own beautifully flawed ways, like he was made just for Victor. Like this was the way it was always meant to be.

As Yuuri pulled away from the kiss, Victor followed his lips, wanting the moment to last. Yuuri laughed and said, “You’re a better kisser than you were when we first met.”

“It helps if you give me some warning,” Victor chuckled, pressing a kiss to the corner of Yuuri’s lips. “Now I can finally tell you how stunning you are.”

“Oh, you could’ve told me that anytime,” Yuuri smirked, gently combing his fingers through Victor’s hair. “Tell me how wonderful I am, don’t leave anything out.”

“Well, you’re very modest,” Victor chuckled, pressing a kiss to the tip of Yuuri’s nose. “And you have the cutest nose. And your eyes. Oh my god, your eyes.”

Yuuri smiled shyly, tangling a strand of Victor’s hair around his finger. “What else?”

“You’re funny. And I love how you challenge me. And how stubborn you are.” Victor brushed his hand along Yuuri’s arm.  “But I think the thing I love most about you...” He took Yuuri’s hand in his own, resting it against Yuuri’s chest, and finished, “Is your heart.”

“M-My heart?” Yuuri seemed genuinely surprised by the response. “What do you mean?”

“You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met.” Victor smiled, stealing a kiss. It was like he couldn’t stop himself. He’d been given permission to kiss Yuuri, and after having to wait for so long, he had time to make up. Besides, Yuuri’s lips were soft, they were just begging to be kissed anyway. Who was he to deny? Victor’s voice was gentle when he continued, “You care so much about everyone. You just want to make people happy. You’ll do anything to make others happy, even if it hurts you. I love that about you, I just… want you to let yourself be happy. Your smile is so beautiful, Yuuri. You should always be smiling.”

Yuuri stared back at Victor for a moment, his eyes sparkling the way they always did when he was thinking, and Victor wanted desperately to know what was going through his mind. Had he said too much? Not enough?

But then Yuuri was dropping into his lap, and crashing their lips together. Without thinking, Victor’s hands were at Yuuri’s waist, lost in the passion of that kiss. Yuuri was always surprising him, and that kiss was no different. It was equal parts sweet and sexy, hot tongue exploring Victor’s mouth, and he moaned appreciatively, fingers dragging along his back in a silent plea for more.

Just as quickly as that passion began, Yuuri was pulling away, peppering kisses along Victor’s jaw. “Take me to bed,” he whispered.

“What?” Despite his surprise, Victor was leaning into the kisses, pressing his body closer. It had been so long since anyone had touched him like that, had made him feel this kind of special. Victor hadn’t quite realised how much he missed it. “Are you sure?”

“You said I should let myself be happy. Being with you makes me happy.” Yuuri’s lips were pressed just below Victor’s ear as he whispered, “Show me what it’s like for a human to give their body to the one they love.”

Something about the way he said it had Victor’s heart soaring. Love. That’s what it was, the thing that Victor had been longing for. He’d wanted it so badly, he’d wished for it. That’s what the wish was. Not for someone to date, to fool around with. No, he wanted someone to love, to spend the rest of his life with. Yuuri was the first person he’d met that had made him feel that. Victor was falling in love, and there was no better feeling in the world.

Victor quickly got to his feet, pulling Yuuri into his arms as he did. Yuuri’s giggles were soft and sweet, his legs wrapping around Victor’s waist as he held Yuuri by his pert cheeks. Victor pressed kisses along Yuuri’s neck as he blindly moved them towards the bedroom, “You know, you’ve been teasing me since you got here.”

Victor couldn’t possibly pretend he hadn’t noticed Yuuri’s body, especially when he seemed to be so completely comfortable with it. Yuuri didn’t seem to care about nudity, and Victor normally didn’t either, but Yuuri had been bending over in that short robe, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. He’d tried so hard to be good, to not look, but Yuuri was tempting. He’d always been tempting.

“I have? How?” He seemed so genuinely surprised. Victor wasn’t sure if that was sweet or infuriating. Yuuri hadn’t even been trying to tease him. What would it be like when he did?

Victor carefully placed Yuuri down in the center of the bed, smiling fondly as Yuuri gripped his shirt, tugging him closer. Victor hadn’t realised just how long he’d been wanting Yuuri, wanting to be close to him in any way possible. Victor just wanted to have Yuuri at his side, just wanted to hold his hand and tell him how special he was. But, this was so much more, and he would cherish every second he got to share with his precious star.

Victor laid beside Yuuri, letting a hand brush gently along his side, “We don’t have to do anything, you know? I’m not expecting anything from you.”

“I know.” Yuuri smiled reassuringly, pulling him closer until Victor’s body was leaning over him, “I want to know what it’s like, and… I want it to be with you.”

Every time Yuuri spoke, he seemed to send new waves of butterflies through Victor’s stomach. In a way, it was a lot of pressure. Yuuri had never been with anyone before. He didn’t know exactly what to expect, and it was up to Victor to make it as enjoyable as possible for him. It would’ve been no different even if Yuuri did have experience, really, but Victor felt like there was something special about his first time. Yuuri would never forget it. Neither would Victor. He wanted to make it perfect.

“Just, you don’t have any like…” Victor gestured to Yuuri’s crotch, “Weird not-human body stuff, right? Like tentacles or something? I’m not saying it’s a deal breaker, I just think I should know ahead of time.”

“Wow, you are _so_ romantic.” Yuuri laughed, looping a finger through Victor’s belt and tugging him closer. He gently nipped Victor’s jaw, “Don’t be nervous, you’re gonna make _me_ nervous.”

It was like Yuuri had enchanted him. When they were close, when he knew he could have this, Victor couldn’t resist. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so wanted, so special. All the gold medals in the world didn’t compare to the way Yuuri made his heart race. He sought out the warmth of Yuuri’s mouth, fingers dipping below the fabric of his shirt and feeling out his skin. Yuuri was warm. Everything about him. He brought a warmth to Victor in all ways, like a comforting campfire on a cold winter night, soothing him down to his bones.

Yuuri seemed to follow Victor’s example, his own hand dragging beneath Victor’s shirt and along his back. Victor smiled into the kiss, pulling away just enough to push the jacket from Yuuri’s shoulders, “I like it when you wear my clothes like that.”

Yuuri smiled shyly, “I like your jacket. Feels like you’re hugging me when I wear it.”

Victor stared at Yuuri for a moment, “Oh my god, you’re so cute.” He peppered kisses along Yuuri’s neck, earning a soft giggle from his precious star. Yuuri’s fingers tangled in Victor’s hair, his giggled soon dissolving into soft, content sighs as Victor carefully worked marks into his skin, claiming Yuuri as his own.

Victor wanted to worship that body, to take the time to kiss every inch of Yuuri’s skin. He was a work of art, more beautiful than all the stars in the sky combined, and he was Victor’s. All Victor’s. Now he’d had a taste, he couldn’t let go, he wanted more. Their kisses were soft and sweet as they undressed each other, taking the time to learn each other’s bodies. Victor wanted to know everything about Yuuri, to learn every curve, every freckle. He wanted to memorise everything that made up the star he’d fallen so hopelessly for. Every moment was delicate, every touch filled with a love that set fires under Victor’s skin, making him feel more alive than he’d felt in years.

As Yuuri pressed Victor into the bed, their naked bodies entangled in each other, he ran his hands along Victor’s chest, humming contently, “I like your chest.”

“Oh yeah?” Victor chuckled. No matter how much he wanted to keep exploring Yuuri’s body, to enjoy the closeness he’d finally been granted, Victor was enjoying letting Yuuri explore him, watching the way Yuuri looked at him like he was something more incredible than all the human trinkets he’d discovered since he arrived.

“Mhm.” Yuuri brushed a kiss to Victor’s sternum, his hands brushing over his skin. His kisses trailed along Victor’s chest, lips lingering, tongue grazing against Victor’s chest for barely a moment before he was moving on. The sensation was soft and sweet, Victor melting under Yuuri’s gentle touches. It seemed more of an accident than anything that Yuuri’s bottom lip caught Victor’s nipple in a kiss, tongue just barely missing the sensitive skin. Victor whined softly, back arching in silent encouragement. Yuuri raised an eyebrow, “Oh. Does it feel good there?”

Yuuri slowly dragged his tongue along Victor’s nipple, soft but firm, and the heat of Yuuri’s tongue against his sensitive skin sent a whole new wave of pleasure through Victor. His fingers tangled in Yuuri’s hair, pressing him closer, “Yuuri…”

“What about this?” Yuuri took Victor’s neglected nipple between his fingers, rubbing delicately at first before gently pinching the nub. Victor whimpered, swearing under his breath and it seemed to be all the encouragement Yuuri needed, grazing his teeth over Victor’s nipple, tongue dragging over his skin.

Victor had died and gone to heaven. That was the only explanation. Yuuri seemed to know exactly how to touch him, even as he just explored Victor’s body. He was a mess beneath Yuuri, moaning and pressing himself into Yuuri’s every touch, desperate for more. But instead, Yuuri pulled away, and Victor could’ve cried, already so starved for that attention.

Yuuri smiled shyly, brushing a hand along Victor’s chest with a blush on his cheeks, “Can you… show me what it feels like?”

Victor missed Yuuri’s lips immediately, but he’d also been dying for the chance to make Yuuri feel good, to touch him in all the places that could bring him pleasure. The invitation was all he needed, tangling his leg around Yuuri’s waist and flipping them, pressing Yuuri into the bed. It took Victor a moment to realise, so consumed by his need to please Yuuri, to make him feel as many wonderful things as he possibly could. It was only as he rocked their hips together, granting the friction of their arousal that Victor noticed Yuuri was glowing.

“Yuuri…” Victor watched in awe. He’d seen Yuuri glow plenty of times. It always seemed to be tied to his emotions. Happiness, excitement, and Victor supposed it made sense that arousal played its part.

Yuuri’s blush only deepened, biting his lip, “I can’t help it. I’m sorry, does it kill the mood?”

Victor rested their heads together, cupping Yuuri’s face in his hand as he whispered against his lips, “You’re so beautiful.”

Yuuri’s smile was dazzling, a smile even sweeter than all the ones he’d given Victor since they met. There was nothing about Yuuri that wasn’t beautiful, ethereal. It made perfect sense that he wasn’t human. There was no way something so wonderful could come from this world. Gentle kisses and delicate touches turned into so much more, and Victor quickly found that Yuuri’s moans were the most beautiful sound of all. With lube coating his fingers, Victor whispered sweet compliments against Yuuri’s neck, slowly pressing a single digit passed his rim. Yuuri’s soft gasp was encouraging, the way he tugged at Victor’s hair, pressing himself down on Victor’s finger telling him that this was okay, that Yuuri liked it.

“More…” Yuuri whined softly as he fucked himself down on Victor’s finger, mewling as Victor slowly stretched him open, “I can take it, please…”

Victor was nervous, worried he would push Yuuri too far too fast. His kisses remained delicate at Yuuri’s neck, encouraging him, letting him know that it was okay. As he pressed a second finger inside, Yuuri went still. Victor’s heart raced, pulling away just enough to look into Yuuri’s eyes, afraid he’d pushed things too far. But, Yuuri’s eyes were closed, mouth open in a silent moan and skin glowing more vibrantly than ever before. Pushing down the fear of going too far, Victor slowly spread his fingers inside Yuuri, opening him up.

Yuuri pulled roughly on Victor’s hair, earning a moan of his own, “Victor…”

“Fuck, Yuuri.” Victor kissed along Yuuri’s jaw, drinking in the warm glow of his skin, “How does it feel?”

Victor wanted to hear it, to know exactly how he was making Yuuri feel and know that this was something just for them, their own perfect moment. Yuuri bit his lip, eyes fluttering open and Victor was entranced by the darkness of them, the deep rich brown that sparkled as he looked back at Victor, “It feels… wow.” Yuuri dragged his free hand along Victor’s back, nails digging into his skin, “Do that thing again. With your finger.”

Victor raised an eyebrow, slowly curling his finger inside him and searching out the perfect spot, “You mean this?”

It took a moment, Yuuri rocking himself down on Victor’s hand a few times, but sure enough, Yuuri tensed beneath him, breath catching, “O-Oh my god…”

Victor chuckled, pressing a kiss to the corner of his lips as he pulled his fingers almost all the way out, only to press them back in, making sure to rub against Yuuri’s prostate, “So, you like it there, huh?”

Yuuri’s moans grew louder, “Ah! Victor… I’m ready, I promise…”

Victor laughed against Yuuri’s skin, pressing more kisses, but he didn’t relent. No matter how badly he wanted to feel what it was like to be inside Yuuri, he knew he had to hold out, had to stretch Yuuri open completely. This had to be the perfect experience for him. Victor pressed in a third finger, slowly spreading them inside Yuuri and listening to his soft moans like the sweetest music. He kept brushing kisses against his skin, quietly reassuring him, but it seemed like Yuuri didn’t need it, completely lost in the moment, a moaning mess as he pressed himself down on Victor’s fingers again and again.

Victor finally broke when Yuuri whined a plea for more feeling just as desperate to share himself with Yuuri. Once Victor was prepared, condom on, cock slick with lube, he found himself transfixed by Yuuri, watching as he brushed his fingers over his nipples, eyes closed and trying desperately to give himself the same pleasure Victor had been moments ago. He was so sweet, so beautiful. His skin glowing like the stunning star he was. Victor reached out, taking Yuuri’s hand and guiding it down to his cock, slowly stroking along his shaft and smiling as Yuuri mewled, “Try that.”

“Wow, humans are amazing.” Yuuri muttered under his breath, biting his lip as he touched himself, “Still not as good as you, though.”

Victor remained gentle, peppering Yuuri’s skin with kisses even as he slowly pressed his cock into him. Yuuri dragged his nails along Victor’s back, his legs wrapped around Victor’s waist as he pressed in deeper, deeper. Yuuri was hot in every way, intense and sweet, and so, so right. It took all Victor’s self control to stop himself bucking into Yuuri. He had to go slow, to give Yuuri time to adjust.

“Zvezdochka…” The word fell from Victor’s lips before he could stop himself, pressing kisses everywhere he could reach, and Yuuri seemed just as lost to the moment as he was, fingers dragging into Victor’s hair, pressing himself down on Victor’s cock as their lips met once more.

There wasn’t a moment where Victor wasn’t gentle, lost in Yuuri’s embrace, in the soft sighs and quiet moans that they drank from each other’s lips. Victor had thought about finding someone to fall in love with, about how long it had been since he’d last felt love, but he was wrong. Because every feeling he’d ever had, every encounter had been meaningless compared to Yuuri. It was like Victor’s world was grey, like the colours were dull and the tastes were bland. Once Yuuri had appeared, the life flooded his system like watercolour bleeding into paper. Yuuri was so much more than he could’ve imagined. These feelings were so much stronger than anything he’d ever felt before, the desire to protect, to cherish. He thought he knew what it felt like, but he was wrong.

Their bodies fit together like they were made for each other, like Yuuri was something he didn’t know he’d been missing, and Victor let himself go to the moment, whispering sweet nothings against Yuuri’s lips as they moved together, feeling out every curve of his body as they brought each other closer and closer to pure bliss. Yuuri’s soft gasp against his lips was all Victor needed to know, his fingers scratching gently along Victor’s sides as he painted his chest. Victor wasn’t far behind, kissing and nipping along Yuuri’s jaw, riding the waves of pleasure as Yuuri tightened around him.

Victor couldn’t stop kissing Yuuri. Anywhere he could reach, he brushed his lips, soft reminders of just how much he cared about him, reminders to himself that Yuuri was right there. Yuuri was his. The glow of Yuuri’s skin had slowly dulled but remained there even as Victor buried his face in his neck. Yuuri was beautiful in every conceivable way and Victor wanted to let himself be consumed by it.

“Victor,” Yuuri hummed happily, gently combing his fingers through Victor’s hair. “You make my heart feel funny.”

Victor smirked against Yuuri’s neck, pulling away to look up at him, “Oh, yeah?”

“Mhm.” He tangled a lock of silver hair around his finger. “It’s like… someone set off fireworks inside me. Like I could float right back up into the sky.”

“I’d miss you if you did,” Victor chuckled, stealing a kiss because he could. Because he was _allowed to_.

“Mm better hold onto me, then,” Yuuri smirked. “I wanna stay right here.”

“I promise.”

Yuuri’s hand brushed along Victor’s arm, threading their fingers together. “I think… I think I love you.”

The words hit Victor harder than he could’ve ever expected them to. _Love_ . This was all he’d dreamt about for so long. He’d felt it from the people close to him, but it had never been the kind of love he really wanted, never this all-consuming need to be with someone, to keep them safe and see them smile. It had never been this need to make them happy every single day, the desire to be with them all the time. Victor had love in his life in its own ways, but this was something else. _Yuuri_ was something else. He’d walked into Victor’s life and turned everything upside down. He’d been stubborn and frustrating, and so completely _thrilling_.

Victor could feel those fireworks in his own stomach, his heart racing as he pulled Yuuri’s hand to his lips, brushing a kiss against his knuckles, and then whispered, “I think I love you too.”


	10. Pisces

The sun bled through the curtains, dancing over the bedsheets and along Victor’s pale chest. He was still half asleep, the events of the night before leaving him more exhausted than he’d expected. They’d stayed up most of the night, just laying in each other’s arms, making up for lost time. Victor would steal kisses, catching the sweet whispers from Yuuri’s lips, losing himself in a love he didn’t know could feel so right. Yuuri’s sweet smile had sent his heart aflutter too many times to count as they talked through the night. And when words failed them their bodies spoke instead, exploring each other, Yuuri’s moans sweet as Victor worshiped every inch of his body.  Yuuri’s skin had remained luminescent all night long, only fading as he fell asleep.

Victor was reluctant to open his eyes at first, not wanting to wake up. How many hours had he actually managed to sleep? Two? Three? He couldn’t be sure what time it was, blinking slowly. Yuuri’s head was nestled against his neck, arm draped over his body with their fingers laced together. Their legs were tangled together. Two puzzle pieces fitted with each other. Perfect. Victor felt Yuuri’s warm breath against his neck as he slept. Victor smiled to himself, lifting Yuuri’s hand to his lips and kissing his knuckles one by one. Yuuri mumbled in his sleep, though Victor couldn’t be sure what he said.

Victor’s lips moved to Yuuri’s wrist, brushing a kiss against his pulse point, his free hand tracing delicately up and down Yuuri’s bare back. “Moya zvezdochka…”

“What does it mean?” Yuuri murmured, his voice thick with sleep. He shifted closer, nudging his nose against Victor’s neck, pressing a barely-there kiss against the closest skin he could reach. “Mm, you keep calling me that.”

Victor smiled shyly against Yuuri’s wrist. “I thought you were asleep.”

“So, I caught you?” Yuuri chuckled, pressing himself even closer. Victor hadn’t been sure it was possible, but Yuuri’s leg tightened around his own, his nose nuzzled into his neck as he took a deep breath, seeming to just breathe Victor in. Yuuri grazed his teeth along the underside of Victor’s jaw, voice soft. “Is it that bad?”

“No, just… embarrassing, I guess,” Victor admitted. “When I realised how I felt about you, I wanted something affectionate to call you, but I was scared for you to know what it was. So I used that. It means ‘my little star.’ Is that okay…?”

Yuuri hummed thoughtfully, rolling over until he was laying on Victor’s chest. “Well, technically, I _am_ your star. You chose to wish on me among all the billions you could’ve wished on.” He pressed a kiss to Victor’s sternum. “I like it.”

“Good.” Victor peppered feather light kisses along Yuuri’s fingertips.

The giggle he received was utterly charming, and Yuuri said, “That tickles.”

“A lot of kisses have meanings, too,” Victor murmured, closing his eyes as he lifted Yuuri’s hand to his lips, leaving a soft, lingering kiss against his open palm.

“What’s that one mean?”

“My heart is in your hands.” Victor spoke against his hand, almost afraid to let go as the intimacy of the moment consumed him. “And I trust you to take care of it.”

Yuuri’s breath caught. “Victor…”

Victor lifted his head, looking up at Yuuri with a shy smile. A blush dusted his nose. Victor wasn’t sure if he was being too much. When he did things, he went all out. He couldn’t help it, it was the way he was. He didn’t just fall in love, he dove head first, and he was completely enthralled by all things Yuuri. He needed Yuuri to know he was special, needed Yuuri to know that this was how important he really was. Yuuri simply stared back at him, eyes wide and brows furrowed. The sparkle in his eyes told Victor that Yuuri was lost in thought, but he couldn’t be sure what he was thinking. And _oh_ , how he wanted to know.

Victor lost his focus as a blur of curly fur bounded into the room, jumping on the bed and licking at Yuuri’s cheek. He smiled fondly as Makka sat in front of him, whining softly and wagging her tail, and then said, “She wants breakfast.”

Victor groaned his disapproval as he got to his feet, grabbing the first pair of sweatpants he could find and tugging them on. Maybe he could feed her quickly. Maybe he could get back into bed and spend the rest of the day at Yuuri’s side.

The day went by quickly, but Yuuri had acted distant. Victor wasn’t sure what it was. Maybe he’d pushed things too far. Maybe he’d opened up a bit too much. Things were moving fast. Maybe. Technically, he’d known Yuuri for a month, and he was just trying to make up for lost time. People had taken less time to fall in love. And the feelings he had for Yuuri were so much stronger than anything else he’d ever had before. Love was all he could possibly think to compare it to. But maybe Yuuri was overwhelmed. Maybe he needed things to slow down. That would be okay, too. Victor could slow down. He could back off and give Yuuri whatever space he needed. Whatever it meant to be able to make him happy.

Ever since that morning, though, Yuuri had kept to himself. He’d stayed in bed most of the day, not bothering to get dressed, and Victor hadn’t minded. They were beyond the embarrassment of seeing each other naked despite how much it felt like there was a divide between them. As the day went on, he felt more and more like he’d messed it up, like this was all far too good to be true, and he’d done something to offend Yuuri. He had seemed to enjoy the night they had spent together, had moaned in pure bliss so many times throughout the night. Victor had taken the time to slowly show Yuuri all the things that made humans feel so good when they were together. Even that morning, Yuuri had awoken with a smile, had been sweet and endearing. It wasn’t until Victor had kissed his palm that there seemed to be something wrong. Yuuri had wanted to say something at that moment. Victor had seen it in his eyes, but they’d been interrupted before he could.

But what had he wanted to say?

Meals were eaten in relative silence, and when Victor had asked Yuuri what was wrong, he’d been assured that it was nothing, that he was just thinking about things. But what things? Every time he wanted to ask, Yuuri would change the subject, would distract him with a kiss, or would simply stay quiet. The day had left Victor with a feeling of uncertainty he hadn’t been expecting after such a perfect night. It was only as the evening had arrived, as stars began to dot the sky that Victor was given some semblance of hope.

Victor had left the rest of the apartment to Yuuri while he showered, only to find the rooms empty save for his beloved poodle when he finished. Fear sparked through him only briefly, the thought that maybe that was it. Maybe Yuuri had finally decided to go home. But Victor wanted to believe that Yuuri wouldn’t just leave. Yuuri would give him a chance to say goodbye, surely. And just as the panic began to bubble up inside, Victor spotted a note on the table in Yuuri’s scratchy penmanship and complete with a little heart on the edge of the paper.

_Went to Summer Garden. Needed to think._

Victor didn’t waste a second, following the note like his very life depended on it. It was still cold in St Petersburg, especially at night. Had Yuuri taken a jacket? Was he shivering, refusing to come back to the apartment despite the conditions? Victor’s mind ran a mile a minute, coming up with worst-case scenarios, all of them ending in one thing: Yuuri leaving, Yuuri having to go home for some reason or another.

Summer Garden was a big place. It took time for Victor to find Yuuri, but eventually, he spotted a familiar figure sitting by the lake, staring up at the night sky. Just the sight of it made Victor’s heart ache. Did Yuuri miss it? Did he miss being in the sky? Victor couldn’t really imagine what it was like being a star. To him, it just seemed like floating, never anything more than that. But, he didn’t know what Yuuri’s life really was before he came to earth. He didn’t know what it was he’d given up to make Victor’s wish come true.

Victor moved closer, closer, afraid to break the quiet serenity of the atmosphere, only for his careful actions to be foiled by Yuuri’s calm voice as he spoke. “I don’t miss it.”

Victor sighed softly, sitting beside Yuuri on the grass. He wrapped his arms around Yuuri, pulling him closer until Yuuri was leaning back against his chest, sharing their body heat. “Then, why’d you come here? Why’re you staring at the sky?”

“Because I _should_ miss it. I should be excited about finding you someone to fall in love with because it means I get to go home, but…” Yuuri brushed his fingers along Victor’s arm, resting his head against his shoulder to look up at him. “I didn’t expect to feel this way.”

“Feel what way?” Victor asked curiously, letting their fingers lace together.

Yuuri sighed softly, shuffling closer and making himself comfortable in Victor’s arms. “Like going home wouldn’t be going home at all.”

“You don’t...have to go if you don’t want to.” Yuuri looked up at him, brown eyes sparkling the way they always did when he was deep in thought, and Victor rushed to add, “But, you don’t have to stay either. It’s your choice. I’ll accept whatever you decide.”

“Really? Even if I decided to go back, you’d be okay with it?”

Victor hummed softly, lifting Yuuri’s hand just enough to play with his fingers, delicately spinning the gold band he still wore proudly.

Truthfully, he _wouldn’t_. He’d be a mess. Victor knew he wouldn’t ever be able to get over Yuuri. Not completely. Someone like Yuuri only came along once in a lifetime. Victor would be forever changed. But he’d try to move on. He’d try to get by with the knowledge that Yuuri would still be watching over him, that he’d still be able to see Yuuri every night. There would just be an infinite divide between them, stopping them from ever meeting each other again.

“A very smart star once told me that you let the one you love go no matter how much it hurts because their happiness is more important.” Victor’s voice was quiet, staring at the ring to avoid Yuuri’s gaze. He knew he’d break if he looked into those eyes again. He knew he’d admit just how impossible it would be. Those weren’t the words Yuuri needed to hear. “If you go home, I’ll miss you. Of course I will. I’ll think about you every single day, and I’ll talk to a little light in the sky in the hopes that you can hear me. But if going back will make you happy, then you have to do it.”

Yuuri stayed quiet, his gaze moving back to the stars in the sky, and Victor felt his stomach churn. This was it. This was the moment he was dreading. This was going to be Yuuri’s goodbye. He couldn’t bear to hear it, couldn’t think about the implication of such a simple phrase. Because if Yuuri said goodbye, Victor knew there would be no changing the decision.

Yuuri took Victor’s hand, raising it up above them and pointing out a bright star in the middle of the night sky, and said, “That one there.”

Victor watched Yuuri curiously for a moment before humouring him, following their hands. “The one with the star really close to it?”

“Yeah.” Yuuri smiled, “The one on the left is Toshiya. The one on the right is Hiroko. And that one all the way down there,” Yuuri slowly guided Victor’s hand down to the left, pointing out a star that seemed to be on its own in the sky, “That’s Mari.”

“Who’re they?” Victor asked, completely enchanted. He’d never cared so much about stars in his life until that moment.

“My family.” Yuuri said it so simply, Victor couldn’t quite believe it. He watched them closely. Victor supposed the two together had to be Yuuri’s parents, but that didn’t explain who Mari was. But, he didn’t want to pry. Instead, he kept listening, focused on Yuuri’s gentle voice as he continued, “I wanted you to meet them.”

“I wish I could meet them in person,” Victor admitted, lowering his arm and tightening his hold around Yuuri’s waist.

“I think…” Yuuri took a shaky breath, looking up at the stars. He gently gripped Victor’s hand as he spoke, and Victor could tell Yuuri wasn’t talking to him anymore. “I think I want to stay. I think I _have_ to stay. Because if I left… a big piece of me would be left behind. So, I think… I want to stay with Victor.”

Victor pressed a kiss to Yuuri’s shoulder, voice gentle. “They’ll be proud of you no matter what you do, Yuuri. They’re like me, they just… want you to be happy.”

“There’s something you need to know.” Yuuri seemed more uncertain all of a sudden, nervous as he turned in Victor’s arms. He sat in Victor’s lap, eyes wide and shimmering in the moonlight. “Stars… we aren’t meant to stay here. There comes a point where it’s too much and we start to change.”

“That’s why you kept trying to rush me to find someone.” There had to have been a reason. Victor had assumed it was just because Yuuri missed the sky and wanted to go back there. He hadn’t thought too much about any real consequences for Yuuri beyond homesickness. “What’s going to happen?”

“My body will… adapt. This body will reject the stardust, everything that makes me what I am, and when it’s done, I’ll be as human as you.” Yuuri chewed his lip nervously.

“Yuuri…” He would be giving up so much. Victor couldn’t begin to imagine it. If he became human, he’d never be able to return to the sky again. He’d never be able to see his family. His lifespan would shorten drastically. The list of consequences was endless. Victor shook his head. “You can’t give up what you are.”

“It’s just stardust. It’s just glowing when I’m happy, and maybe I won’t live quite as long. That’s not the issue.”

“Then what is?”

Yuuri shifted closer, resting their heads together and letting his eyes close as he spoke. “I’m gonna get sick. Really sick. It’s gonna hurt, and I don’t know how long it’s gonna last, but I need you to be by my side. I don’t think I’ll be able to do it without you.”

Victor couldn’t begin to imagine what it would be like. No doubt it was a fate that stars avoided because of the pain, because of how uncomfortable it was. And yet Yuuri was willing to do it just to be with him. Yuuri was willing to give up a huge chunk of his lifespan just to spend a shorter life with him. And all he was asking for was for Victor to stay by his side.

“I’ll be here. No matter what, I’ll be right here to take care of you, I promise.” It was the easiest promise Victor had ever made in his life, and as he felt Yuuri’s smile against his lips, Victor knew without a doubt that he’d do whatever it took to keep Yuuri by his side.


	11. Virgo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, just a heads up. Chapter Five's been updated with art drawn by the amazing R Tengu. Please go check it out on [twitter](https://twitter.com/RTengusama/status/1112551423714172928) and [tumblr](https://rtengu.tumblr.com/post/183857664015/this-is-the-art-i-made-for-gabzjoness-starboy-au). Give them some love. It's so good!

 

The first few days were normal. Yuuri was fine. He was better than fine, he was always smiling. Always happy. He had attempted to make Victor food, which had ended in disaster, and he’d dragged him sightseeing, wanting to visit every place he could. Victor had loved every second, taking moments to pull Yuuri aside and steal kisses when no one was looking. He felt like a teenager with a crush, but Victor liked to think his feelings for Yuuri were much more substantial than that. Every day felt perfect, even when Yakov had called and insisted Victor go back to the rink. 

At first, Victor did go back. He went back with Yuuri at his side, and he skated his programs better than he had ever before. There were still mistakes. There was still room for improvement. Some of the jumps weren’t quite right, he needed to perfect the transitions, but he was getting there, and for the first time, he was feeling the program. Now he understood how to play a character in love. And though Yakov had insisted the training continue, that they were close to a breakthrough, Victor had instead used his improvement to buy more time, insisting he needed just a little time off. Because there was still one more thing left to take care of. He’d promised to be by Yuuri’s side through this, and there was no way Victor would break that promise.

The days that went by peacefully had been a blessing, time that he could spend completely lost in this new feeling, in the sweet smiles Yuuri shared with him. But, it didn’t last. It was less than a week after the night in Summer Garden. Victor had woken just as he did every day, but things felt… different. Yuuri was shaking in his arms. Where normally Yuuri would have wrapped himself around Victor throughout the night, he instead had his arms wrapped around himself as he shook, as though he was trying to control it. 

Victor ran his hand delicately along his back, “Yuuri…”

“I-I’m okay.” The response was strained but felt practiced. As if Yuuri knew he was going to have to say it, like he’d had it prepared. It didn’t sit right with Victor. 

“Yuuri, you’re shaking.”

“I thought I had more time,” Yuuri admitted, burying his face against Victor’s chest. “You’ll still stay, right?” 

Victor frowned. He couldn’t imagine leaving. Not now. Not like this. Yuuri was giving up everything just to be with him. The least Victor could do was stay by his side through the pain. He had been waiting for it to happen, worrying about just how bad it was going to be for Yuuri or how long it was going to last for him. The sooner it began, the sooner it could end. Victor dragged his fingers through Yuuri’s hair, feeling how hot he was to the touch, and said, “I’m staying right here. I promised you, remember?”

Yuuri seemed to press himself into Victor’s cool touch, whining softly. “Victor…?”

“Yeah?” Victor gently rubbed at Yuuri’s scalp, smiling fondly as he pressed himself closer. It seemed to be soothing, at least. There wasn’t anything Victor wouldn’t do to make this more comfortable for him.

“Will you… still want to be with me when I’m human?”

The fear in Yuuri’s voice was obvious and it broke Victor’s heart that he even had to ask that question. Victor carefully pulled Yuuri into his arms and murmured, “There’s nothing that could change the way I feel about you, Yuuri. You being a star or a human doesn’t matter.”

Yuuri took a shaky breath, nuzzling against Victor’s neck. “I just needed to hear it.”

The days continued like that. Victor would hold Yuuri as he shook, whimpered, whined about the pain. He would try to give Yuuri water, try to feed him, but it was rare for Yuuri to eat anything. He was growing weaker by the day. There was nothing Victor could do to stop it, this was what was supposed to happen, but he hated it. He hated seeing Yuuri hurt so much, hated knowing that Yuuri was doing this for  _ him _ . Was it really worth it? Victor wanted to think it was. He wanted to believe that being with Yuuri was worth a little pain now, but it was hard to think that when he was watching Yuuri suffer. Maybe Yuuri would’ve been happier if he’d just gone back home.

Makkachin was just as concerned. She settled herself at Yuuri’s side on the bed and stayed there, never budging. It seemed to be a comfort for Yuuri. There were times when Yuuri would comb his fingers through her fur, whispering to her. Victor wished he could talk to her the way Yuuri could. But then, that was another thing that probably wasn’t going to last. It was strange. He was watching Yuuri transform into something else, but from the outside, he looked exactly the same. 

There were moments when Yuuri would shine so brightly it could be seen in daylight, but other times, Yuuri’s glow would be completely gone, even at night. Those were the times that scared Victor the most. He could feel Yuuri’s heavy breaths, but there was still fear in the back of his mind that the worst was going to happen, that maybe the process would become too much and Yuuri would succumb to it. He didn’t know how fatal something like this was for a star. 

One particular night, Victor had sat behind Yuuri on the bed, letting his head rest against his stomach as he slowly combed his fingers through his hair. Yuuri shook, his body hot and damp with sweat and soft whines accompanying his breaths. Yuuri reached for Victor’s hand, threading their fingers together as his voice cracked over his words. “E-Emotions.”

“What?” 

“My… my aura.” Yuuri paused, letting out a soft groan as another wave of pain wracked through his body. “It means… means that I live by m-my heart and my emotions. My whole...purpose is to teach love… and g-give it and feel it from someone… else.”

Victor had wanted to know, had wondered what Yuuri’s aura meant, but he hadn’t wanted to pry since the bowling alley, knowing Yuuri would tell him when he was ready. He said auras were an intimate thing, and Victor hadn’t understood it at first, but it slowly started to make sense. Auras gave Yuuri a window into who people were. Seeing Victor’s had shown Yuuri more of him than anyone else ever had known. It did make sense. Yuuri was an emotionally driven person. Victor had noticed that about him since the day they met. It was just another thing to love about him.

Victor brushed Yuuri’s hair from his eyes. “How does it compare with mine?”

Yuuri’s sweet smile was so endearing, “Perfect match.” He chuckled, groaning as the movement caused more pain. “I should’ve known I-I’d fall for you.”

“Don’t beat yourself up about it too much,” Victor laughed. “I am very charming.”

Yuuri tilted his head to the side as he looked up at Victor. “Completely. I didn’t stand a chance.”

Victor didn’t know how Yuuri could still be so endearing even when he was in such a state of pain. He carefully cupped Yuuri’s face in his hands, leaning over him to press a kiss against his lips. The angle didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. He just wanted to reassure him. Yuuri reached up, tangling his fingers in Victor’s hair. His kisses were always sweet, always enticing. Victor had been hooked immediately. His thumb brushed gently along Yuuri’s cheek as he whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Yuuri murmured. “This… this’ll be worth it.”

“How bad is it…?” Victor had been afraid to ask, afraid to know the truth. He didn’t want to see Yuuri hurting, but he couldn’t turn a blind eye to this. It was all part of the process. A little sacrifice so that they could be together. It just wasn’t fair that Yuuri was the one doing all the sacrificing. 

“I’m fine,” Yuuri reassured, but it was too quick, too forced. 

Victor raised an eyebrow. “I need you to be honest with me.”

Tears welled in Yuuri’s eyes and he rolled onto his side as he whimpered, “It hurts… it really hurts.”

“What can I do?” He wanted to do something, had to. Something that could take the pain away, something that would make Yuuri more comfortable. He couldn’t just keep watching Yuuri suffer and do nothing to stop it. 

But, Yuuri’s answer was always the same as he gripped Victor’s shirt, burying his face in the fabric: “Just don’t leave me. Please…”

* * *

 

The silence in the apartment was broken by the sound of the spoon hitting against the inside of the mug as Victor stirred his tea. He didn’t need it, doubted he would even drink it, but it was something to do, something to take his mind of the star falling apart in his bed. Victor stayed with Yuuri through most of it, only leaving when he was asleep, and only ever for brief periods. It was hard for Yuuri. Victor couldn’t imagine just how hard it was. But, Victor wasn’t as strong as he wanted to be. There were times when he needed to distract himself, to stop thinking about Yuuri hurting as much as he was.

He stared at the drink as if it held the answers to all his problems. But, he couldn’t stop thinking about it, about Yuuri, about how long he was going to suffer, about how everything Yuuri was going through was his fault. He hadn’t told Yuuri to stay, though he really wanted to. He wanted to be selfish, to cling to Yuuri and never let go, but he would’ve accepted Yuuri leaving if he had to. Yuuri made the choice, but he made it for Victor. He was choosing to stay to be with him. Yuuri was choosing this torture just to be able to spend a little more time at his side. Victor hated it.

In the moments when Victor wasn’t at Yuuri’s side, Makkachin was. Between them, they made sure Yuuri was never alone, though Victor went out of his way to be there at any moment when Yuuri was awake. But as the days passed, Yuuri slept longer and longer, shivering in his sleep despite the fever that had set in. Sometimes he would mumble, but Victor could never make out the words. He wondered if his dreams were more pleasant than reality. He hoped they were. Yuuri deserved a space to get away from it, to stop thinking about the pain and focus on something pleasant instead.

As Victor stepped back into the bedroom, cup in hand, he watched Yuuri sprawled out in the middle of the bed. He didn’t bother with the blankets anymore. They were too hot. Victor had tried to put space between them when Yuuri said it was too hot, but Yuuri had insisted that body warmth was the only heat he wanted. Makkachin had settled herself beneath Yuuri’s head, allowing him to use her side as a pillow. If it wasn’t for the way Yuuri’s body shook, the sweat sticking his hair to his brow, he would’ve thought the scene sweet.

Moving into the room, Victor placed the mug on the bedside table. At first, he brushed a hand along Makkachin’s fur, showing his silent gratitude that she seemed to care just as much as he did. Victor wasn’t sure he could’ve coped without her to help them both through. He worried his bottom lip between his teeth as he moved his hand to Yuuri, brushing the damp hair from his forehead and resting the back of his hand against his brow. Victor frowned. Yuuri was still burning up. The fever hadn’t broken yet. 

Letting his hand drop from Yuuri’s skin, Victor made his way to the bathroom. He picked up a cloth and placed it under the cold water, focused on the running water. He didn’t have any control. That’s what was so difficult. In training, he controlled his movements. On the ice, he had control of when he attempted his jumps, of every aspect of his performance. The feeling of control was something that had always kept him grounded. But the feeling wasn’t there. He couldn’t control this. He didn’t know what was going to happen next, and the uncertainty was terrifying. 

Once Victor was satisfied, he wrung out the excess water from the cloth, carefully folding it over in his hands. There were only little things he could do, little things that he had control over. He could make food, or shower, or do any number of mundane task that would occupy a few brief moments of his mind. They would give him that feeling of control just for a moment. But, the second he caught sight of Yuuri, he was reminded that his world wasn’t in his hands anymore, that he didn’t know what was going to happen, or how long this was going to last. No matter how much Victor wanted to stay by Yuuri through everything, being there was a reminder that he couldn’t fix this.

It was as Victor returned to the bedroom, taking a closer look at Yuuri that he noticed something was different. Yuuri had already taken off one of his chains, had given it away for a gift that Victor cherished, but those chains always seemed to fit Yuuri’s ankles perfectly with no room to slide off. Until now. Victor looked down at Yuuri’s bare legs, seeing the chain in a heap beside his feet. It wasn’t connected. It was broken. Victor carefully picked up the chain, placing it on the nightstand. He reached out, resting the damp cloth against Yuuri’s brow and earning a soft whine in response. 

Victor was left to wonder how long this cruel sickness was going to last.

* * *

 

Victor didn’t sleep much. He’d get an hour or two here and there, but for the most part, he stayed awake thinking about Yuuri, thinking about how much longer this illness was going to last. The fever had broken but Yuuri was still pale, constantly complaining about the pain. It was still there. It wasn’t over yet. Yuuri had attempted to get up when the fever broke, but his muscles ached, the stabbing pains throughout his body keeping him firmly in place. Even when he did what he could to overcome that, nausea would hit him the moment he was upright. Though Yuuri had gotten through one phase, it only made way for another. 

Victor watched Yuuri sleep. He tried to focus on the way Yuuri’s chest rose and fell with his breaths, reminding himself that Yuuri was still there, that even though he was going through all this pain, he was still breathing. It was hard sometimes. Sometimes, he’d think the worst. Sometimes he’d wake up scared that Yuuri hadn’t made it through, that he wasn’t going to get through this. 

Would he? How bad did it get? How many stars had done it and gotten through? Victor wanted to ask. He felt like knowing at least one had successfully done it before would be enough to reassure him that this was going to be okay, but he was scared to ask. Victor was meant to be the strong one. He was meant to be taking care of Yuuri through this, not the other way around. The one consolation was that Yuuri looked peaceful when he slept. His lips slightly parted, his fingers clutching at Victor’s waist as he held him close. He was sweet, and Victor wished more than anything that the pain would go away so that he could enjoy the little moments he got to share with Yuuri again. He was tired of worrying, tired of wondering if things were only going to get worse. 

“Victor!?” Yuuri jolted awake, sitting up in the blink of an eye. His breath was ragged, eyes wide with fear.

“Yuuri?” Victor reached out, resting a hand against Yuuri’s on the bed. He would’ve done more, would’ve pulled Yuuri into his arms, but the fear of causing more pain stopped him. “What’s wrong?”

“I… you were… you were gone, I couldn’t find you.” It took less than a second for Yuuri’s tears to start falling, his voice growing more desperate as he tried to explain. “I looked everywhere but you were gone, I was all alone and I-I didn’t know what to do…”

“Hey…” Victor had to push down the fear as he moved closer, his arms wrapping around Yuuri and pulling him into a hug. His fingers brushed delicately through Yuuri’s hair as he murmured softly, “It was just a dream. I’m right here.”

“It was so real,” Yuuri whispered, carefully shifting onto his knees as he tried to get closer. Nausea seemed to get to him, reaching out for Victor and leaning his weight against him. Yuuri appeared to give up then and there, burying his face in Victor’s chest as his body shook, shook for a different reason than Victor had gotten used to. Victor felt the tears against his skin, Yuuri’s arms wrapped as tightly as he could muster around Victor’s waist. “Don’t… don’t leave me alone l-like this…”

“Yuuri…” Victor had never seen him so broken, but he knew it was all because of the pain, because of the fevers and the nightmare, and nausea. He was vulnerable. More vulnerable than he’d ever been before. It only made sense that he was so scared, but Victor hoped he’d never have to see him like that again. Carefully, he repositioned Yuuri in his arms until he was settled in his lap, fingers dancing delicately along his back while his other hand combed through his hair. He could hear the slight hiccup to Yuuri’s breaths as he tried to calm himself down, his head leaned against Victor’s chest. Victor pressed a kiss to the whorl of Yuuri’s hair. “I will never leave you. I promise. Just get some rest.”

“But…” Yuuri wiped away the tears from his eyes. “I’m scared.”

“Close your eyes.” Yuuri looked up at him with a frown and Victor smiled because it was the first sign he’d seen of the Yuuri he’d fallen so hopelessly for since this all began. He was getting through. There was light at the end of the tunnel after days upon days of darkness. “For me?”

Yuuri huffed but did as he was told, reaching for Victor’s hand and letting their fingers lace together. He kept moving his other along Yuuri’s back, the pad of his thumb rubbing against Yuuri’s hand. A blush dusted Victor’s nose and along his cheeks as he considered his options, knowing he could easily make a fool of himself. But then, making a fool of himself would always be worth it if it brought a smile to Yuuri. So, as his hand moved slowly along Yuuri’s back, Victor’s voice remained soft in the quiet of the bedroom as he began to sing, “ _ Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are… _ ” Yuuri’s grip tightened on his hand briefly, but he soon relaxed, nestling himself in Victor’s arms, “ _ Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. _ ” Victor smiled to himself, feeling Yuuri relax in his arms and carefully moving to lay them back comfortably in the bed. “ _ Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. _ ”

The quiet as Victor finished the song lasted for barely a minute, Yuuri’s voice just as gentle. “Again.”

Victor smiled to himself, pulling Yuuri’s hand to his lips and brushing delicate kisses along his knuckles. He sang the song over and over, never stopping between rounds and only pausing to press kisses along Yuuri’s skin. He needed reassurance, someone to be by his side. Victor could do that. He’d do that forever. Eventually, Yuuri’s grip on his hand loosened, the sweet starboy in his arms lulled to sleep by the gentle tone of Victor’s voice. And as Victor allowed himself the luxury of comfort, he hoped desperately that this would be the last painful night.


	12. Aquarius

“Victor!” His eyes remained closed even as Yuuri shook his shoulders, groaning and attempting to turn away from the onslaught, “Victor, wake up!”

Victor was tired. Exhausted. He’d spent nearly two weeks watching over Yuuri in his sick state, hoping for it to just end. Sleep was hard to come by. He never managed more than a couple hours a night before he was back to watching Yuuri, to making sure he was still comfortable. Victor just wanted Yuuri to get through it. But Victor had been left so tired, his eyes burning when he opened them, so closed they stayed. He just wanted a few more hours, just a little more time. Victor grumbled, pulling the blanket over his head as if it would save him from Yuuri’s rude awakening.

It didn’t.

“Victor, you don’t have an aura!” The desperation in Yuuri’s voice was what broke through to him, what told him that he couldn’t ignore the world and hope it would all go away. He couldn’t pretend it was just a dream and hope Yuuri would go back to sleep, that Yuuri would have dreams of sweeter things than the pain he’d been going through.

Victor pulled the blankets from his face, Yuuri staring back at him with fear in his eyes. “What’re you talking about?”

Yuuri shifted himself closer, tugging on Victor’s arm until he’d pulled it out from under the blankets as he rambled in his panic, “I woke up and you were asleep but your aura was gone, and… I thought maybe something happened to you, but I-I don’t have one either. I don’t understand…”

Victor sighed, sitting up in the bed and pressing a kiss to Yuuri’s knuckles. “How are you feeling?”

“Worried,” Yuuri responded bluntly, despite the clear anxiety he was going through.

Victor chuckled, brushing another kiss over the ring on his finger. “How about physically?”

“Oh. I’m fine.” Yuuri pulled his hand away to stretch his limbs, a soft content sigh escaping his lips as he enjoyed the feeling. He’d been in bed for so long, it must’ve felt good to move around, even just a little bit. Yuuri tilted his head back and forth and added, “The pain’s gone and I don’t feel nauseated anymore.”

Victor nodded with a smile, glad Yuuri seemed to have gotten through the pain and was safely on the other side of it. Victor wasn’t that surprised that Yuuri couldn’t see auras, but he wasn’t sure why it had taken Yuuri by surprise. Taking both of Yuuri’s hands in his own, Victor pulled him closer, his voice gentle as he tried to reassure him. “Yuuri… humans can’t see auras.”

“What?” Yuuri stared back at him, confused but clearly captivated all the same.

“Well, there are some people who say they can, but I doubt they could do it as easily as you were able to before.” He shrugged.

“Wait, you mean… you think I’m really…?” Yuuri looked down at their hands as if he would find the answer there, as if looking at himself would be enough to tell him.

Victor smiled. “Well, you said you’d get sick until you become human. And now you’re saying you feel better. Not seeing auras is pretty normal for a human, Yuuri.”

“I’m human?” Yuuri let go of Victor’s hands, brushing them along his arms as though it was the first time he’d felt them. Maybe it was. Maybe the transformation had left Yuuri feeling things differently. Maybe it was normal to be so in awe. Victor still couldn’t imagine it. Yuuri was nearly four billion years old. Four billion years of being one thing only to turn into another. Of course it was going to take Yuuri time to get used to. 

A soft sound escaped from Yuuri’s throat, a squeak of excitement as he pounced on Victor. “I’m human!”

Victor just laughed, wrapping his arms around Yuuri as he let himself enjoy the sight of Yuuri so elated. After so many days of pain, after watching Yuuri fall apart and slowly get built back up again, Victor wanted to cherish it. Yuuri had a new life ahead of him now, but it was better than that. He had a new life with Victor. It may have been a shorter life, but Victor was determined to fill it with more love than Yuuri could ever hope for. Yuuri would never be alone, never feel hopeless. As long as he could be there, Victor would.

Yuuri’s lips were soon against his own in a passionate kiss, a kiss filled with love and care, and Victor could feel Yuuri’s smile. It sent his heart aflutter and he nipped playfully at Yuuri’s lip, earning a soft giggle in response. He was so cute. Always cute and sweet and Victor couldn’t imagine anything in the world ever making him feel so happy. It was as Yuuri settled in his lap, hands cupping his face as he deepened the kiss that he realised how wrong he was. Yuuri never failed to surprise him.

Victor sighed happily, fingers moving along his back as he let himself be consumed by Yuuri’s love, only stopping when Yuuri’s words caught him off guard. “I didn’t know humans had such terrible sight.”

It was muttered between kisses, Victor going still beneath Yuuri, pulling away as he processed the words. As Yuuri tried to follow, Victor held a finger to his lips, staring into those dark eyes. “Terrible sight?”

“Yeah. Everything’s all blurry. It’s gonna take some getting used to.” Yuuri shrugged, seeming to have made his peace with this new handicap. But Victor hadn’t. There was no reason for Yuuri’s sight to be worse than anyone else’s. Maybe it was a side effect. Maybe in the process of changing, his body was damaged. Not severely, just enough to leave a lasting impression.

Victor held up his hand in front of Yuuri’s face. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

Yuuri rolled his eyes, shoving at Victor’s chest playfully. “I said blurry, I didn’t say I was seeing double.”

“Zvezdochka.” Victor pulled Yuuri closer, pressing a kiss to his brow, and then said, “I think you need glasses.”

“Glasses?” Yuuri frowned. “What’re those?”

Victor knew Yuuri had seen plenty of people wearing them. He just no doubt didn’t know what they were called, or what their purpose was. Though he had watched humans from afar for so long, there was still so much about them he didn’t know. Victor had quickly learned that Yuuri seemed to understand the deeper things, some things even better than humans themselves did, but the finer details were where he faltered. He didn’t know about basic items from a human’s everyday life, but he was fascinated by them. It was going to take time for him to learn everything.

Pressing a kiss to the tip of Yuuri’s nose, Victor traced delicate circles around Yuuri’s eyes as he spoke. “You know those people you see on the street with those things on their eyes? They’re like… frames. With glass on them.”

Yuuri tilted his head like a confused puppy, brows furrowed. “Those are glasses? Why do I need them? You don’t have any.”

“That’s because my eyes aren’t bad enough to need them.” Victor brushed his hand along Yuuri’s cheek, smiling as his precious starboy leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering closed. “Some people don’t have great eyesight, so they wear those glasses and it makes things clearer for them.”

“There’s something wrong with me?” Yuuri looked up at Victor through his lashes, and if it wasn’t for the concern in his voice, Victor would’ve been seduced right then and there.

“No, of course not. It’s just something a lot of humans need. Besides,” Victor nudged their noses together, smiling against his lips, “I bet you’d look really cute with glasses.”

Yuuri’s smile was shy at first, nudging his nose back into Victor’s. “You think so? Well, I guess if you like them, it’s okay…”

* * *

 

Things began to settle back into a routine. Victor hadn’t even known that was possible, with Yuuri in his life, but there they were, Yuuri walking hand in hand with him as they made their way to the rink. Yuuri had started joining him to training every day, and at first, Yakov had been uncertain, but Yuuri always said the right things to inspire them, giving them a new perspective on their programs. And they couldn’t deny how nice it was to have a cheerleader watching them and sharing in their elation whenever they managed to land a jump. 

Victor was still trying to perfect things. He had a firm grip on his short program, but the free skate was a lot more difficult. There were a lot of jumps in the second half, and he was attempting some very ambitious ones among his spins and step sequences. Victor knew he could do the jumps. Of course, there were times when he made mistakes, times when he got too stuck in his head, when he simply wasn’t at his best. There were times when the nerves still got to him. He might have been the greatest men's figure skater, but that came with its share of pressure. It was a title he was determined to keep, but a title everyone wanted to take from him. 

When they got to the rink, they were welcomed by Mila. Yuuri seemed more at ease than he had been the first time they’d met. He’d gotten used to the Russian skating team. He didn’t even seem to mind Yuri’s surly attitude. No matter how much Yuri would deny it, Victor knew he liked Yuuri. Of course he did. Everyone did. 

The room was quiet, Victor standing at the center of the ice. As Yakov started the music, all eyes were on him. It wasn’t anything new. Victor had skated with thousands of people watching him plenty of times. This was just practice, a room filled with maybe a handful of people who weren’t going to care if he made a mistake because mistakes in practice were fine. It was when he was skating to win that the mistakes weren’t an option. 

As the music lilted through the room, Victor let his eyes close, focusing on it and moving along the ice in time. He had to make the ice his own, the music his own. He couldn’t just follow the music’s lead. He had to lead the music, to be prepared for it and dance along the ice as if he were controlling every note. Victor let his body move to the music, arms outstretched or close to his chest depending on the moment, and then he was taking a deep breath as he prepared for the first jump.

The quadruple toe loop landed without a hitch, Victor letting out a shaky breath as he continued through the program. He couldn’t celebrate yet. It was just one jump. There was still so much more to go. The music kept guiding Victor along the ice, gentle spins sending him back and forth until he was preparing for his next jump; a quadruple salchow. Barely a second passed before he landed back on the ice, eyes opening as he sought out his starboy’s gaze. 

The program was the tale of a man looking for love and finding it. He’d been able to get the looking part down without much issue. It had always been the finding it that had Victor stumbling. He could never fit that character before, could never quite get it exactly right. But, as he caught sight of Yuuri, saw the bright smile and the sparkle in those eyes, Victor knew exactly what it meant to find love.

Victor moved into a camel spin that slowly transformed into a biellmann, his finger hooked carefully around the blade of his skate as he kept his leg upright. He wasn’t as flexible as he used to be, but he was still able to keep his leg upright long enough to complete the spin, finally letting go as his step sequence began. Victor loved step sequences. Though jumps and spins were impressive, there was something truly beautiful about a well-performed step sequence. It was where the story of the skate truly shone. Victor wanted desperately for the audience to feel this skate, to see and understand that he was a man once lost, but now found. The music continued to guide him, Victor stepping intricately on his blades, concentrating less on the technicalities and instead trying to simply  _ feel _ .

The piano began to pick up its pace, building into a crescendo. Everything before that moment was meant to be nothing more than attraction, the consideration that the character might have finally found someone, that there was someone to pull him from his own darkness and point him into the light. This was the moment in the performance where Victor was supposed to fall, metaphorically, at least. Part of him wondered how symbolic it would appear and if the judges would appreciate it if he did fall to the ground, but he knew he couldn’t, that though it would truly shine through for the performance, it would only lower his score. Instead, Victor let the momentum of the music build up and stepped into his next jump; a triple flip.

It was the halfway mark. Victor was already feeling the fatigue, but he knew he couldn’t stop. The program was going well. Almost perfect. Victor didn’t like that it still felt like the music was guiding him instead of the other way around, but that was a technicality, something he could fix later. Victor had never managed to skate the entire program at once without a mistake. He was determined to do it this time. 

The next jump was his hardest yet, a quadruple salchow, triple toe loop. He was nervous, wanting desperately to prove himself, wanting to be able to see Yuuri’s smile. But Yuuri would’ve smiled regardless of the outcome. He was so giving, happy so long as Victor was. Just that thought sent Victor’s heart soaring as he moved through the jumps, landing each with precision and continuing his stride along the ice. Victor was smiling. He couldn’t help it. He was thinking about Yuuri, about how excited Yuuri got when Victor did the simplest of things, imagining how something as big as perfecting this program would be for Yuuri. Victor wanted desperately to make him proud.

Victor had plenty of momentum from moving around the ice, a feeling of pure joy in the pit of his stomach as he moved into the next jumps. His triple axel was perfect, but he knew he wasn’t moving quite right for the triple toe loop, turning it into a double instead with hands held above his head to compensate for the point loss. It was a risk, one that cost him his balance. Victor’s landing was a little sloppy, but he did manage to stay upright, quickly correcting himself and moving back through the choreography, allowing himself delicate flourishes to accentuate the music. There weren’t many jumps left, but he was tired. Victor knew he was going to have to work on his stamina if he wanted to perfect his performance. 

His triple axel landed without a hitch, quickly moving into a half loop and following it up with a triple salchow. There was just one jump left in the program, but he had time to prepare for it, the music becoming softer as he performed a flying sit spin, pressing his body into himself. It was time for another step sequence, one filled with much more life than the last. It was Victor’s favourite part of the program, even if it came so far into it. It was the moment he could show how happy he was, what love did to him. Victor couldn’t stop smiling even if he wanted to as his feet moved carefully, making sure every step was filled with movements aimed to make it all the more impressive. There were slight skips to a few of his steps. He was giddy with his happiness, and he wanted the world to know.

One more jump. As the music grew, driving him closer to the moment, he built up his momentum, stepping carefully into the triple lutz. Once the jump had been landed, he allowed himself the luxury to relax. All his jumps were completed, with only a finishing spin left in the program. The music moved through him, enticing him forward, and Victor did everything in his power to keep it’s pace as he moved into the camel spin, slowly letting it dissolve into a sit spin that eventually changed once more to a scratch spin. Finally, the finishing notes of the song sounded through the room, leaving Victor standing at the center of the ice, one hand lifted to the air as he stared up at the ceiling. 

He’d  _ done _ it. He’d actually  _ done _ it. There was still plenty that needed tweaking, but he had managed to perform the entire program in one go. He’d landed all his jumps.

With the song over, the program at an end, Victor let the exhaustion catch up with him, dropping to his knees in the middle of the ice. His breath was ragged as his gloved hands pressed against the cold surface, keeping him at least somewhat upright. Sweat dripped from his skin, his lungs burning from the exertion and he knew his feet and calves were going to ache in the morning, but he’d done it, and that in itself made it all worth it. 

“Victor!” He heard Yuuri’s excited voice from the sidelines, looking up just in time to see Yuuri rushing forward. The moment his feet touched the ice, he seemed to realise the mistake he’d made, arms outstretched as he tried to keep himself upright. But then Yuuri appeared to decide it wasn’t worth it, letting himself stumble and crawling the rest of the way. Once he was close enough, he pounced on Victor, rolling him until he had Victor pinned to the ice beneath him. Victor smiled up at him, still trying to catch his breath even as Yuuri rested their heads together. “You were so beautiful.”

Victor ran his hand along Yuuri’s back, chuckling breathlessly. “Only beautiful when I skate, huh?”

“Always beautiful,” Yuuri assured, stealing a quick kiss. “You looked so happy. So in love…”

Victor reached out, gently pushing the blue framed glasses up Yuuri’s nose with a fond smile. “Me, in love? Unheard of.”

His laughter echoed through the rink as Yuuri peppered kisses across his face, only drowned out by the sounds of a particularly grumpy blond who seemed to want the ice for himself. Victor was too distracted by Yuuri to care. He supposed that’s what love did; it made the rest of the world fade into the background. Yuuri’s skin didn’t shine anymore, but he was still just as bright, still wholly captivating. 

He may not have been a star anymore, but Yuuri was still the greatest wish of all.


	13. Epilogue - Vela

 

“You seem to have adopted a new style to your skating, is there something you attribute it to?”

The cameras flashed constantly in the press room, taking pictures of the top three skaters for the competition. Victor had grown used to press conferences at a young age. In the beginning, they made him nervous. He had hated the spotlight, had been afraid of saying the wrong thing, afraid the camera would get the wrong angle, afraid he would make a fool of himself.

But, as Victor got older, he spent more and more time in the spotlight. He was a prodigy, talented from a young age, and a contender for as long as he had been on the ice. He had a few silver medals, though most were from when he was just starting out. More often than not, he landed with golds, with a few silvers along the way to keep him humble. This was Victor’s longest stretch of gold medals so far, his fifth consecutive gold at a Grand Prix Final. The Olympics were right around the corner. The whole world would be watching. Victor Nikiforov had quickly grown from a nervous child before the paparazzi to a seasoned professional. He knew what to say, knew what they wanted to hear from him, and he went out of his way to give them exactly what they wanted. For the most part, at least.

Looking down at the ring on his finger, Victor smiled. The flecks of stardust that had been imprinted into the gold were the only remnants of Yuuri’s life as a star. The chain from his leg had disappeared after his human transformation. So had the robe, and that truly was one of the sadder losses. His hair didn’t even produce the stardust like it used to anymore. Yuuri was as human as everyone else. But Victor at least had that ring to remind him of those days, of all that Yuuri had sacrificed to be with him.

Victor cleared his throat, gently twisting the ring around his finger, “Love. It’s thanks to love that my skating has improved so much recently. The love of my coach, my rink mates, my friends... “ He watched as the ring sparkled in the light, and finished, “And a certain love that’s so precious, it can’t quite be defined.”

His answer sparked a round of whispers from the press as they rushed to write down notes, cameras still trained on the three skaters at the head of the room. Victor was grateful when the questions were directed at the others. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the attention. Victor enjoyed the spotlight. But, there were only so many questions the press could ask him. He had heard them over and over again. It was nice to give someone else a turn. Though, he had to admit he’d shared the podium with his two fellow competitors a few times before. Maybe they were just as tired of it.

“Another question for Victor Nikiforov.” He looked up, focusing his attention on the man across the room, “How do you feel about the scores? You received a solid ten point lead on your closest competition. Were you expecting to have such a strong lead?”

“Not at all.” Victor smiled brightly. “I expected my competition to be much better than they were. I hope next time we face off against each other, they’ll be more prepared. It’s a lot more interesting when they have more of a fighting chance.”

He wasn’t sure why there was laughter in the room, or why the men on either side of him huffed their annoyance and slouched into their chairs. It was just a question. How else was he supposed to answer?

* * *

 

Another banquet. More of the same. Victor had come to expect it, smiling and thanking people as they crossed the room to congratulate him. A room full of people, and he was alone. Even though he had won gold, there was, unfortunately, no golden star on his arm. Instead, he watched as Yuuri moved around the room, being guided by Phichit. He’d taken a shining to Yuuri instantly, and Yuuri seemed to enjoy Phichit’s bright personality. He was like a moth to a flame, following Phichit’s every move, smiling bright and beautiful for all the selfies he wanted. He only stopped, rushing away when Mickey had caught sight of them stealing a snapshot with Sara. Very dangerous. He’d probably be trying to steal the phone from Phichit to erase the evidence soon enough.

Yuuri was halfway across the room when he caught sight of Victor, his smile growing brighter by the second and _god_ , he was beautiful. Victor still found himself staring, after so many months together, still found himself completely in awe. It didn’t matter that Yuuri was human now, he still had just as much of a hold on Victor’s heart.

Before Yuuri could cross the room to him, he was stopped, a startled yelp leaving him as Chris pressed a hand to his ass and squeezed. Victor couldn’t blame him, really. Yuuri had the most incredible ass he’d ever seen. Anyone would want to touch. But still, there was a twinge of jealousy, a want to take Yuuri in his arms and lay his claim. Yuuri’s cheeks were bright red as he spoke to Chris. What they were saying was a mystery, though Yuuri seemed nervous. He was still getting used to people. There were still times when he would begin to close himself off. This seemed to be one of those times.

Taking mercy, Victor crossed the room, resting a hand reassuringly at the small of Yuuri’s back. “Can I steal you for a moment?”

Yuuri leaned into Victor like it was the most natural thing in the world. “As long as you want.”

It was as they were passing that Victor was stopped by Chris, a knowing smile tugging at his lips as he declared that love suited Victor. Victor couldn’t help but agree.

Banquets were always the same. Always filled with the same people, always the same music. It never really changed, and Victor himself always seemed to be the same at them, always sticking to himself, only politely thanking people who complimented his skating. And there came a time in every banquet where Victor would end up outside, the music nothing more than a quiet tone in the background. Yuuri had been right about him. He was a loner. But there was no one in the world he’d rather be a loner with than Yuuri.

Yuuri leaned against the balcony railing, looking up at the stars, and said, “It’s been a year today.”

“I didn’t think you’d remember.” Victor smiled. “You weren’t even here yet.”

“One year since a very handsome, very sad looking human made a wish on me.”

Victor reached out, wrapping his arms around Yuuri’s waist from behind and murmuring against his neck, “Do you regret it? Staying here?”

It was a real fear, something he wanted to do everything in his power to avoid. He had to make Yuuri’s time on earth worthwhile, to let all his sacrifices have meaning. Yuuri giggled, Victor’s breath tickling against his neck and a moment later, he was turning in Victor’s arms, pressing himself closer. “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”

Yuuri’s arms wrapped loosely around Victor’s neck, their lips lingering against each other. Victor could’ve lost himself in Yuuri for weeks, could let himself be completely overwhelmed by him. Nothing quite compared to the feeling of his heart racing when Yuuri was by his side, the knowledge that this was his, this happiness belonged to them.

Yuuri gently nipped Victor’s lip. “You were very cocky at the press conference.”

“I was?” Victor raised an eyebrow, gently swaying them to the music inside. “I thought I was being polite.”

“All this time and still such a dummy,” Yuuri giggled. “At least you earned the right to brag, I guess.”

Victor pouted. “I was not bragging. I was just answering questions.”

“You were definitely bragging.”

His fingers moved delicately along Yuuri’s sides, applying just the right amount of pressure. Yuuri’s laughter filling the air was so much sweeter than the music from the banquet, Victor smiling against Yuuri’s neck as he tickled him. “You’re meant to be on my side.”

“I am! I am, I swear!” There were tears of laughter in Yuuri’s eyes as he tried to wriggle out of Victor’s grip. “Vitya!”

Victor finally relented, winding his arms back around Yuuri’s waist, feeling along the curve of his spine as he whispered against his ear. “Yes, Yuuri?”

“You’re the worst,” Yuuri chuckled, nudging their noses together and cupping Victor’s face in his hand. “I love you.”

The words slipped from Victor’s lips without a second thought: “I love you, too.”

Those words had been said so many times over the months. Every morning as they woke up together, every night before they fell asleep. Yuuri was constantly reminding him just how much he cared, and Victor cherished it. He’d made a wish for love. A wish that he didn’t believe would ever come true.

But not only had Victor gotten what he wanted, he’d learned that love was so much better than anything he could’ve possibly imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super super sad to see this story come to an end. But, you might've noticed that this is now in a 'series'. This is because I'm planning to (and have already begun to) write more in this universe. I have plans for a bunch of little oneshots revolving around Yuuri's adventures and attempts to adapt to human life. I love starboy so much, I really want to stay with this character for a little while longer. Those oneshots will not be a regular thing, though. They're going to be for when I have the spare time or when I'm burnt out on multichapters. 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for all the support on this fic, it means so much to me! I'm so glad people have enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed working on it.


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